


Royally Miffed by the System

by orphan_account



Category: Persona 5, Persona 5: Royal, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BIG BOY SPOILERS, Don't Like Don't Read, F/M, Futaba hacks Hero's RNG in her favor lmao, Legs, Not The Royal Complaint, Pancakes, Really unorthodox comedy and obscure references, Ryuji Says Fuck, Semi-traitor Kasumi, Slow Burn, Some really bad puns, akechi has a chronic disease called pancakes, ann is lesbo for shiho change my mind, but i dont wanna betray coffee dad, cade can beat a giraffe, change my mind, did i mention futuba being a hacker gremlin, extreme depictions of violence, futaba is the best hacker gremlin, futuba has too many reaction memes, gun dad best dad, haru may or may not get screen time idfk, if they dont make a joke about ryuji not saying fuck in the actual game im boycotting, makoto is best mamakoto, morgana is morgana, no beta we die like men, other minor pairings - Freeform, passive agressive akira, persona 5 royal spoilers, realistic texting, ryuji says fuck but for real this time, sassy kasumi, sauce, semi-chat fic, weird headcanons, what are tags, yusuke makes weird posts in the group chat at 3am that make you question existence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2020-10-04 15:07:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 23
Words: 56,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20473040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: I was looking for P5R fics and I didn't find very many so I made one myself, "after all, 'providin' is pre... something?'"This is literally just a AU fic based on The Royal, this fic was started a couple months ago, so a lot of the story elements will be taken from the actual game from now on, it's my own little spin on the new story. Just sit back and enjoy the ride of delicious pancakes.*This fic contains spoilers for vanilla PERSONA 5, AND PERSONA 5 ROYAL, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.*Rated for sauce later on, graphic violence, mature themes, etc.





	1. ~ Royally Miffed by the System ~

**Author's Note:**

> VERY IMPORTANT NOTE HERE:  
THERE WILL BE PERSONA 5 ROYAL, PERSONA 5 THE ROYALE, PERSONA 5 ROYALE, AND/OR PERSONA 5 THE ROYAL SPOILERS FROM NOW ON IN THIS FIC, DO NOT CONTINUE READING THIS FIC IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED ON PERSONA 5 ROYAL. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING 2: This story contains spoilers for the entire game of Persona 5, and will also contain spoilers for Persona 5: Royal. Do not read this work of fiction, unless you have completed Persona 5 all the way to the end of December in-game, and/or don't care about spoilers as you have already been spoiled on the two new major twists.  
Now, without further ado;
> 
> Let Us Start The Game.
> 
> -

_This Story is a work of fiction  
Similarities between characters or events to persons living or dead in your world are purely coincidental  
The author does not own said characters, events, persons, or intellectual properties  
By consenting to the above, you take responsibility upon yourself that you may be spoiled for major plot points in Persona 5, and Persona 5: Royal  
Only those who have agreed to the above have the privilege of partaking in this game  
  
->I agree  
I do not agree  
  
...The contract has been sealed  
The world is not as it should be  
It is filled with distortion, and “ruin”, can no longer be avoided  
Those who oppose fate and desire change...  
From time to time, they were referred to as Tricksters  
You are the Trickster...  
Now is the time to rise against the abyss of distortion...  
  
  
-  
  
Take your Time  
  
-  
  
Prologue: Broken System; Broken Spirit  
  
‘Damn brat! I’ll sue!’_  
  
A teenage boy groggily opened his eyes, bags clearly visible even in the morning sunlight. The world was numb to him in many ways, visually was just one of them, psychologically, legally, but most importantly emotionally. How he was convicted for assault in such a clear case of who was in the wrong, for example, _not him,_ that bald bastard really wasn’t lying when he said that the police were his bitches, and weren’t gonna take her, or for that matter, _him,_ seriously.

Not to mention his criminal record, and being expelled from his hometown school in Buttfuck Nowhere Ville, Japan. The whole town knew about what happened that night in two days, how he apparently up and attacked someone in the street in the late evening, how he’s mentally unstable and how he does drugs, alcohol, the works. How much the truth got manipulated and blown out of proportion baffled him, how his generic parents didn’t care even a bit for what he told them, and just disowned him the second he showed up handcuffed with the police at their doorstep...

But it’s not like he was one to talk, he had a record now, and was sent on a one year probation to Tokyo, well it was either this, or juvenile hall, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to juvie over pushing a drunk baldy off a woman he was clearly trying to kidnap, or worse, he had no living family outside of his two parents, which one of them knew some café owner out here, and the owner accepted him for god only knows what reason. But it didn’t matter now, all he had to do was sit around and not cause problems for a year, his probation would be lifted, and he would go back home to his awful family life only made all so much worse by the utter shitstorm that was his record. Not bad in all, given how he had no clear idea what he even wanted to do for a living, once he escaped the prison that was his childhood.

His ears picked up some female teenage students talking about something quite loudly across from him in the subway, he didn’t care for current events and quite frankly he wouldn’t for a while, he was gonna lay low for a whole year then be sent back to hell. The intercom in the subway, and the screeching of the rails below signalled that he was at a stop, and the voice confirmed that this was indeed Shibuya, whelp, time to go see what pretentious old fart is going to be looking after him in Yongen-Jaya.

He got off the station and was greeted by a sea of human mass, they weren’t lying when they said this place was overpopulated so, everyone around him just brushed past him like normal, he missed the country life already. He looked down at his phone for directions, but he was greeted by an unusual sight.  
“Great, malware, just what I need...” His raspy voice all but choked out, not as much as formulating half a word in many, many hours. He proceeded to drag it into the trash bin at the bottom of his screen, but the app had other plans, it proceeded to take up half the allocated space, and now that he got a better look at it, it was disturbing to say the least: red and black, an eyeball motif with a black star as an iris. He tapped against the intruding force to no avail, in an attempt to do something other than take up space on the screen, he sighed for the seemingly umpteenth time this last hour, and looked back up at the sea of people around him.  
Huh, I guess everyone got tired of walking today. Everything and everyone was frozen in time, and the city bustle was void in his surroundings, he craned his neck all around, not a soul so much as blinked. He was tempted to try and touch someone to see if they would drop the act and tell him what in the name of Jesus H. Christ was going on, but something caught his eye; movement in a sea of static. Blue, blue flames burned in the centre of the street, a brilliant show of dancing blue lights that entranced him instantly, as if calling out to his very soul. The flames shifted, forming something vaguely humanoid in structure, then an eerie crimson smirk burned out from where the head should’ve been, not long after his very own face emerged from the flames with a wicked smile and glowing golden eyes, and as fast as the train he came here on, it was all gone and life resumed function around him, no one seemed to witness the paranormal event, or they were just used to it. So he merely brushes it off for now, and deletes the app. _‘Is this a regular city life occurrence?’._  
  
-  
  
Take your Time  
  
-  
  
He eventually managed to navigate through the station square and make it to Yongen-Jaya where his caretaker would be living along with him, his GPS led him to some backstreets just outside the station, it was shabby, but it didn’t look shady at least. His caretaker’s name was Sojiro Sakura, and asking the local officer led him in the right direction to his residence, he rung the doorbell by the nameplate, but a good minute passed and he didn’t hear a thing from the house, he was thinking of going in there looking for him, but then he heard someone speaking to him from his right side, a delivery man told him that the Mr. Sakura that lived there usually was in a café Leblanc at this hour, and then proceeded to read off his clipboard.

With this new information he set out in search of this Leblanc. After some wandering and sightseeing of the ghetto parts of Yongen he eventually found a sign: “Coffee and Curry, Leblanc” and he assumed that this was the café his caretaker owns, he entered the homely café, which would become a haven for him later on in his stay, unbeknownst to him.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time_  
  
-  
  
He was greeted by a humble café with three booths to his left, and a bar with many assortments of beans gathered among the shelves on display. Sitting upon one of the stools was a gruff man slightly balding but not grey looking at be somewhere in his mid 30’s, he wore a pink dress shirt with an apron over it, beige cargo pants, and a newspaper of sorts in his hand with a pencil primed and ready. There was an old couple seated in one of the booths, and an old TV was filling the café with white noise, all and all the place cleaned up well, he could be off worse working here of all places. The newscast was talking about something the public had taken to calling the "psychotic breakdown incidents", something about a bus being driven down an opposing lane with the passengers still in it, honestly, as long as nothing bad happened to him he couldn’t care less about media sensationalism.

The old couple went on about it and asked the old pink guy about it. He didn’t seem to hear them, “Vertical is... a shellfish used for harvesting pearls...” He seemed too engrossed in his crossword to acknowledge the new guest or the customers, the guest knew the answer he was looking for, and couldn’t help himself.

"It's Clam.” The apparent owner looked up suddenly, and saw him standing at the door, hands pocketed, leaning slightly.

He put the crossword back down on the bar counter, stood up from the stool while saying, “They did say that was today...” The old couple seemed to catch on, and made themselves scarce, leaving their pay.

The man addressed him, “So, you’re the kid, huh? I was expecting some thug... but you’re the one...?”

“Are you Sojiro Sakura?” The kid queried.

“And you’re Akira Kurusu?” The newly identified Sojiro stated. “The kid with the criminal record. Don’t worry: I got the gist of your situation, here, I’ll show you to your room.” He made a motion for Akira to follow him, and he did, internally praying the place wasn’t a dump.  
It was a dump unfortunately, but at least it was big, so when he cleaned it out he’d have room to spare. “This is where you’ll be staying, I’ll at least give you sheets for your bed, it’s on you to clean up the rest.” He looked into the corner by the musty window and saw a futon laid out atop haphazardly placed crates. Well, it could be worse, but still he internally prayed the futon wasn’t cheap, as he had a hard enough time sleeping with a mattress as is since the incident, being in a musty coffee shop attic was bad enough with all the mismatched rubbish lying around the floor. “You look like you wanna say something.” Sojiro almost accused, just a hint of smugness, but maybe Akira Kurusu was just imagining things.

The crimeboy replied, “It’s...” He had an internal war whether to fire back, or try to get on his good side. Inconsequently, the latter won, “Big.” He trailed off.

“Like I said, it’s on you to clean up the rest, but about your situation. I got the rundown. So, you stopped a drunk man from forcing himself upon a woman, he got injured, then sued you, right?" The older man pinched the bridge of his nose, "Well that’s what you get for sticking your nose in business between two adults, this society is kept in check by laws, and authority figures: you can go and get yourself killed if you want, but don’t go dragging me _or_ others down in your mess..." Akira was internally pissed, but his face didn't betray that to the elder male. "Your things came in too, on you to get it ready." Boss turned toward the staircase. He proceeded to talk over his shoulder, "We’re also going to Shujin tomorrow, so be ready in your uniform.” Akira was quite frankly tired of this old man grilling him for trying to uphold what’s right, but he wanted to derail the conversation swiftly.

He acted stupid, feigning ignorance, “Shujin?”

“Ugh, the school you will be attending on your probation, we’re going there to get you settled in tomorrow. There is rarely a place that will accept someone like you, you know that?” Sojiro quipped. “If you cause trouble I won’t hesitate to kick you right out, you got that?”

As much as Akira would like to sass, he’d rather not get kicked out in less than an hour. “Yes, Sakura-san.”

“You can just call me Boss, everyone calls me that.” Sojiro smirked.

“Yeah, _Boss._”

"Well, alright, I’m going back downstairs, if anything goes missing from my shop, I’m taking you right to the cops, got that?" Akira nodded, and as if on cue Sojiro’s cell rang and he picked it up, whilst walking back down the stairs. Akira, finally left on his own accord, got to work on making his room not the city dump, and by evening, it didn’t look too bad. Sure, the bookshelf and the tarp with all the junk on it were an eyesore, but that could wait.  
He was bum tired, and was about to hit the mat for the night when creaking signalled someone’s arrival, it was Sojiro, he looked surprised to see all the dust gone, and most of the junk repositioned to not be in the way. Sojiro inspected his surroundings. “I heard all kinds of banging up here, but I didn’t expect you to be actually cleaning...” He trailed off. “The place doesn’t actually look half bad, although I suppose it’s only natural you’d want to keep your room clean. We’ll be heading to Shujin tomorrow, so sleep up, you’ll need it. I’m gonna close up shop, don’t cause a racket, alright?” With that, Boss took his leave and left Akira alone to his own devices. Tired, and quite frankly sick of being grilled for existing, he changed into his lounge wear, and went to go to sleep on his ghetto futon.  
Unfortunately for him, a sound resounded from downstairs, like a phone ringing. He grumbled and basically flew down the stairs, he found the source of the disturbance: a golden public phone atop the bar counter near the entrance, he hesitantly picked it up.

“Is that you, kid?”

He was too exhausted to recognize the voice, and frankly didn’t care, he just wanted to hit the mat and call it a day. The boy deadpanned, “Is this a prank?”

“Sheesh, you really forget people that quick, huh? It’s boss, I forgot to turn the sign to closed when I left, I’m not running all the way back, so you do it. You’re in charge of the sign when you go to sleep from now on, alright?”

Akira non verbally affirmed his responsibility over the door sign, and hung up, turned the door sign to closed, and practically dragged himself up to his 'bed' upstairs, to a seemingly restless sleep...

  
-  
  
_Take your Time_

_-_  
  
Clinking of chains, and the slow repeated dripping of water echoing were the first sign that something was wrong, either he was kidnapped in his sleep, or killed and was sent to his own special little part of hell, to be chained for all eternity, both didn’t sound too bad considering the grave he dug for himself in the real world. The blue ceiling with chains dangling incessantly was the second sign that something was wrong, the third sign was his moderately comfortable futon being replaced by a stone bed, well, a bed was an insult to beds, it was literally a stone slab attached to a blue wall with sofa cushion motifs on it to his left. He gazed to the other side, another blue wall with the sofa motif, this room was cramped, and he just now noticed his hands were handcuffed almost comically, the handcuffs were far too thick, and the chains were far too long apart that it was basically useless, other than making his wrists heavy, he was wearing a black and white striped prison outfit. He glanced another direction, and saw them, past metal bars with chains entangled so, resided two identical young girls, yellow eyes with platinum blonde hair, eye patches on left and right eyes respectively, a blue prison guard hat and uniform. The one on the left had O.Y.O.O. engraved upon her hat, while the right one had X.M.R.N. engraved upon her hat. Yep, these freaks were the winners of the freak show. They looked through him, unnerving gaze unflinching, then they began to separate to reveal a third person in the room, out far past them, sat a desk and chair, and in said chair resided the true winner of the freak show. A comically round face like a circle, an actual ponokio nose, a fancy suit, he looked like something out of a cartoon, and then he looked up at him, his eyes were bulging out of his wacky skull. The enigma spoke in a deep, yet welcoming voice.  
“Trickster... welcome to my Velvet Room...”

  
-  
  
_Take your Time_  
  
-  
  
‘Heheh, what.’ Were the first thoughts that crossed his mind, and the second was what plane of hell was he in to find these freaks looking at him, he got up from his “bed” and walked over to the bars, where the girls were standing guard facing the cartoon man. He soon felt something pull at his leg, he looked down behind him, there was a chain on his ankle attached a ball and chain keeping him in this cell, not like he could go any further, the cell had chains tangled up in it he doesn’t think it would even open before the chains would jam on something.  
The man in the centre of this mysterious room spoke once again, “Welcome, Trickster, this room is a realm between dream and reality, mind and matter, only one who is bound by a contract may enter this room, and the state of said resident’s heart is reflected in this room, to think it would appear as a prison, you truly are, a “prisoner of fate”...”

Akira’s brain was proceeding to fry itself repeatedly, he did not understand a word this old man was saying, all he wanted was out of this cell, and out of this room at that matter. “Get me out of here!”

He expected the freaky man to say something but what he got was a shock from one of the girl’s electric batons hitting the cell doors and shocking him, she exclaimed, “Know your place, inmate! Just who do you think you’re talking to?!”

The man stated quickly. “Pardon me for not introducing the others, to your left is Justine, to your right, Caroline. And I am known as Igor, the master of this place, remember it well, Trickster. I will explain the roles of these two at a later time, for now we have important matters to discuss, the coming ruin that awaits you in your future, and how we plan to help you evade such a fate via rehabilitation, rehabilitation toward freedom.”

Akira was trying so hard to absorb the information that the newly identified Igor was telling him, that the ruin part went right over his head, and a gentle voice spoke. “The inmate appears confused, perhaps we should just talk about the workings of the Velvet Room, and discuss his coming fate at another time, we still have much leeway before his fate is inescapable.”

Igor clasped his hands together, “A wonderful proposition, Justine. Now, Trickster, you are currently experiencing this as a dream, the real you in the real world is currently fast asleep, this room drifts upon the sea of human souls, and only those chosen may enter said room, your fate is directly tied to this room. But, alas, the night is waning, come to slowly understand this place, Trickster. We will surely meet again, in time...” At that an alarm began blaring, similar to a fire alarm, the warden known as Caroline turned around and yelled at him.

“Time’s up! Now hurry up and go back to sleep, inmate!” He wanted to ask how he was supposed to sleep on that rock, also with the fire alarm blaring, but he quickly found his vision fading, unable to say anything, he merely waited as his vision faded back to black, and his phone’s alarm jolted him awake in the real world.  
6:30 AM, still pretty early, but I should be getting ready to head to Shujin with Sojiro. But... what an odd dream, ruin, rehabilitation... what did it all mean? But that could wait, Akira needed to get in his uniform and see if Boss even made breakfast for his guest.

-  
  
_Take your Time_  
  
-  
  
Akira was really getting sick of his newly nicknamed principal Mr. Eggman, telling him about shit he really didn’t care about, but he supposed he should at least pay attention to see if that walking corpse of a teacher was going to say anything useful. She looked dead tired and to be frank, he didn’t blame her if she was tired of Mr. Eggman. The tour of Shujin was more like going to the principal’s office, and getting a student ID, then listening to Eggman monologue about nothing important for 30 minutes until Sojiro spared Akira of the torture, and told them he had a shop to run, they promptly let them go free.

Traffic was awful on the way back, apparently another psychotic breakdown happened; this time to a subway driver and the subway derailed, and the transportation system is fucked now, probably for a good three whole days until the congestion clears up. It took from late morning to the evening to get from Aoyama Itchome back to Yongen Jaya, Sojiro scolding him for wasting his Sunday, because a subway driver going nuts is his fault. Whatever, he had school tomorrow, and he’s not gonna be late for his first day. He remembered the corpse lady telling him to meet her in the faculty office when he gets to Shujin. Akira had downtime, so he cleaned the shelves of the musty books, and found a couple small magazines he could read, if he had a moment on the subway most likely. Boss gave him a journal to write in as per his current situation, then closed up shop. Akira once again marked another day off his probation.  
  
-  
  
_End Prologue_


	2. The Great Sinner of Lust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now the good part comes in, I'm particularly proud of this chapter and I've gotten some good response to this story, this chapter is a 16k word joyride so buckle up and enjoy the ride of pancakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS WHERE SPOILERS START COMING IN FOR PERSONA 5 ROYAL, THIS IS THE FINAL WARNING.

_Chapter I: The Great Sinner of Lust_  
  
-  
  
The teen was tired when he woke up, no strange dreams of ruin or rehabilitation, just sleep, yet his body still felt heavy as if those shackles and the metal ball were still with him wherever he went, like dead weight keeping him from living a free life; the chains of society built up over the course of mankind’s growth. Although he still had a school to go to, so he eventually convinced his body to carry him today, and dressed for his day. He could hear the TV on downstairs, It was 6:50 AM, if the TV was on, then Boss was probably down there, time to get cracking he thought. These stairs were probably gonna break sometime in his stay the way they’re creaking, but if he breaks them just enough so Sojiro comes up and thinks he broke them instead, then he might not get grilled for it, he’s been grilled enough since the past three months: he’d be burnt black and used as a world class hockey puck. Boss was the only one in the cafe, smoking with a hand on the counter, something was in front of him but it was hard to tell with his eyes so blurry. Akira guessed that he didn’t get much business outside of his regulars, or it’s just really early and this town is sleepy, regardless at closer inspection it was a plate of something, he crossed his fingers that it was for him.

“Oh, so you’re actually going to school today?”

_'Not like I have a choice, gramps.’_

“Well eat up, the transport system is shaken from the accident yesterday, don’t wanna be late on the first day, kid, I learned that the hard way...” Something about that last sentence actually seemed earnest to Akira, so much so that he forgot that Boss was actually giving him food for just a moment. It was... curry by the looks of it, with a side of coffee, he never really liked coffee, it was too bitter and burned his mouth when he was young, but he supposed that the caffeine could drag him through that prison of a school: Shujin roughly translated to prison, and the school's topography was similar in vein to a prison complex, fitting given his situation, might as well have gone to juvie; at least juvie is honest about the place being a prison.  
Still, he was being fed, so he might as well show appreciation to his caretaker, a quiet thank you came out and he began eating, he instantly noticed something funny, the coffee wasn’t awful third rate crap, and the curry seemed to be too good for it’s own good, Akira never had curry abundantly in his past, he mostly got rice or ramen from his parents for dinner, they almost never actually sat at their dining table either. The strong scent of coffee, smoke, curry, and slight smell of old people permeated the cafe, the white noise of the TV's early morning newscast gave a homely feel to the place, he could get used to this atmosphere.  
He finished and went to clean up his utensils, although Sojiro insisted he hurry away, as he was running late as is with the state of things outside, Akira ushered himself outside speedily, and bee lined to the station swiftly.

  
-

Take your Time  
  
-  
  
‘This station is a hellhole of people’ was the first thing his mind registered, the second was just how _many_ people were crowded into this station, it didn’t look like the subway got any better since yesterday, it seems he would just have to power through. He succeeded in his mission to navigate the ocean of people, and found his way to Shibuya station, which was all but swamped in students wearing the similar Shujin blazer uniform to him, the sky was becoming a dark cloudy, he internally prayed it wasn’t going to rain. He then searched for the Ginza line, after some wandering in a sea of human mass, he found a corner sign that said Ginza line, and found the train he would be taking every school day to his literal prison of a high school; a prison bus on rails.  
  
-

_Take your Time_

_-_

“Just brilliant, it’s just started pouring buckets out of nowhere, Boss, this is _exactly_ why I hate the early spring...” A man in Leblanc complained, likely one of the regulars.

“Wait,” Sojiro whispered to himself, “the kid didn’t take an umbrella didn’t he...?”

The customer seemed surprised, “Wotcha thinkin’ Boss?”

Sojiro quickly lied, “It’s nothing.” The customer backed off, and went back to his coffee while the news resumed.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time  
  
-  
  
_Fuck, excuse his vulgar language, but _fuck. _In his rush to get to school, he completely forgot that it was the early spring, and it could start pouring buckets out of the blue. Furthermore, he did not take an umbrella or anything similar for that matter, so unless he wants to catch a cold or show up looking like aqua man, he was forced to take refuge under a fashion store canopy in Aoyama. He was so close to the school too, then it just started up out of nowhere coming down in sheets, he was cutting it close with only twenty minutes until 8 AM.

But then god said: _‘Fuck you, Akira Kurusu, this is __w__hat you get for sticking your nose in business between two adults.’._  
  
-  
  
Take your Time  
  
-

She was running late enough as is, then the skies just had to go and open up on the one day she didn’t bring her umbrella, after a mad dash to get to school after sleeping in, in her total exhaustion the weather forecast completely went over her head, and her mom was out on ‘’’’’business’’’’’, she most likely was out drinking her sorrows away in some corner of Shinjuku until she comes back days later looking like a zombie, then proceeding to do the same thing again not even a week later, her family life was strained enough, and she was hopeless to convince her mom to stop her alcoholic streak.  
But her late father’s words that people should solve their own problems by their own merit were drilled into her head since she could understand basic communication. Not to mention that criminal transfer student that’s going to be showing up today, she had enough problems as is, the last thing she needed was a criminal with an assault record in the same school, much less the same class as her, she internally prayed that he was a third year so he’d be as far away physically from her while in school.  
Also not to mention the untimely demise of her sister Sumire Yoshizawa, it had been two months since that day, when her sister sacrificed herself to save her from a speeding car. She did not die in suffering, she smiled in her last breaths, the last person she actually had a real connection with had died protecting her.  
She had kept up the “air headed happy-go-lucky model student” mask up for so long she didn’t even remember the person beneath the mask, the true Kasumi Yoshizawa, but it would be damaged if she showed up late or waterlogged today, so she had no choice but to hide under the closest structure that would protect her from the sheets of water coming down. There was another student, presumably a male. Just brilliant, she would be ogled in the time she would waste here waiting for the god or gods to not be an asshole(s) today, and stop the rain and forsaking of her so.  
She approached the canopy, a comfortable distance between them, and turned to face the street, wrung out her ponytail, and subtly glanced over at the nameless student next to her to check if her suspicions were right. He wasn’t even looking at her, seemingly oblivious to her presence. He then gazed up from his phone, exasperated, she knew that feeling very well, intimately so. The first thing she noticed is his grey orbs, seemingly dead to the world staying on her face, and only her face, not going anywhere else like all the other hormonal teenage boys that try to undress her with their eyes, he simply gave her a stupid look, somewhat fearful, as if she was going to try and hurt him. She remembered that she has done nothing but stare plainly back at him and gave him a rare genuine smile for his efforts, he was the first person that didn’t ogle her at first sight, and probably the last. She looked down at the crest on his uniform: a second year, she hasn’t seen him around, but he seemed to blend in well, so maybe she hadn't noticed him in the handful of days she’s been here.  
She felt up for conversation for the first time in months, she had always dreaded talking to people, and all of the upholding of facades and drama, she simply was tired of lying to everyone and pretending she was okay.

And then she talked, without the fake happy tone she used so often, and the apologetic smile on the outside that uselessly screamed in agony on the inside. “I haven’t seen you around here, mister, are you a new student?” She tried to strike up a conversation, and he looked surprised that someone acknowledged his existence as anything more than backdrop scenery.

He stumbled a bit before replying, something looked awfully resigned in his eyes. “This is my first day, **I’m a transfer student.**”  
Her heart instantly dropped to her feet, there were only two transfers so far this year, and she was one of them, it hit her like a sack of bricks dropped off a ten story building; this guy was the criminal with an assault record, what a cruel twist of fate, the most unassuming guy was the one who would suddenly attack you, she laughed inwardly but her face didn’t convey that.

Her fake smile came back as naturally as breathing. “Oh!” She faked surprise, "Me too! It’s nice to meet you, mister...?”

“Akira Kurusu.”

“Kurusu-san!” She felt sick saying that, that icky feeling you get when handling something disgusting, and you don't wash your hands, because there is no way to wash your hands.

“And you’re?”

“Kasumi Yoshizawa, Kurusu-san!” She conjured some phony flair, in fact, she wanted to run for the hills and never look back, but the rain had other ideas for her.

“Ah, well nice to meet you, Yoshizawa-san, you're a first year, am I correct?” She affirmed his question with a point at her Shujin crest. “Well, I hope we get along, Yoshizawa-san.”  
She was about to throw up, but she would just have to hold out a little longer, a “comfortable” silence lasted until a new person arrived in the no umbrella club, she didn’t get a good look at them, since they had a white hoodie with a four-leaf clover on the side up, but they had the trademark Shujin skirt and a red pantyhose so it was most likely a girl, she felt slightly relieved that it wasn’t another guy, the guest stood across from Akira, he didn’t seem to care as he was busy forcefully messing with his phone mumbling something incoherent, he eventually gave up. The girl across from him had already removed the hood to reveal platinum blonde twin pig tails, and a troubled face. She was looking around as if expecting someone, she vaguely recognized the girl, Kasumi believed she was a second year, and notoriously popular in Shujin’s rumor mill. The girl eventually looked back towards Akira, and they locked eyes for a moment, his posture was stiff, and was likely giving her the same look he did earlier, the girl smiled but then went back to looking to the street, albeit less worriedly. Moments passed until a car slowed down right next to them, a tinted window rolled down.  
  
-

_Take your Time_

_-_

Akira honestly expected the Spanish Inquisition with how shady the car looked, but it was just some middle aged man with a square jaw alone in the car. He didn’t know this guy and quite frankly... Something about him looked like bad news, not to mention his phone was fucked and might do the thing where everything freezes again. Yoshizawa looked slightly miffed at his presence, maybe she knew this guy.

But the square jaw was looking at the platinum blonde to his left. “Hey, need a ride?” He paused before speaking a bit strangely, almost as if he's spoken the same line many times before. “You’re gonna be late,”  
The girl in question hesitated for just a moment before half accepting and walking forward albeit slowly, almost awkwardly like she really didn’t want to be here, and wanted to melt into the floor and never come back, but she got in the front seat.

The man looked at Kasumi and she visibly cringed, but the man didn’t seem to notice. “You need a ride too?”

Her eye seemed to twitch slightly and she smiled whilst waving him off, although it looked a little fake to Akira, she politely refused nevertheless. “No, I’ll be okay, Sensei.”  
His expression was unreadable for just a split second before he turned with a blank expression, and rolled up the blonde’s window. Akira looked at the blonde for just a moment and her eyes had a familiar look in them, like the being dead to the world look he often knowingly sported since the last three months. The window covered his gaze and the car quickly drove off toward the school, leaving him and Kasumi still in the rain. He didn’t know why Kasumi declined, but he wouldn’t pry.  
It seemed like she was about to comment when they heard the splashing of shoes against the damp pavement. The boy in question ran past them, but came to a stop just when he was close to them.

He cursed. “Damn! Screw that pervert teacher!”

Akira was confused at this new guy’s statement and asked him, “Pervert... teacher...?”  
The boy turned around at his voice, he had bright yellow hair, most likely dyed, and a scowl on his face. He seemed to be walking a bit funny, and his uniform was modified, the boy started approaching him.

  
-  
  
_Take your Time_  
  
-  
  
“Who’re you? You plannin’ on rattin’ me out to Mr. Kamoshida?” The vulgar looking boy accused him.  
“Kamoshida?” Akira was confused, and he needed more information, this blonde seemed to know him so he pried.

“Ugh, you don’t know _**Suguru Kamoshida**?”_ He felt something in his pocket, maybe a spam email.

Kasumi cut in to their conversation, “He’s the P.E. teacher at _**Shujin Academy**.” _Another vibration, he didn’t remember turning his phone to silent vibration, he would check it later.

The vulgar boy mused. “You two the transfer students? Never seen ya around... Then no wonder you don’t know that _**pervert**, _he treats everyone on the volleyball team like they're his slaves, and he’s the king of some kinda **_castle_**, and he fucked over the track team because-”  
He saw a flash of purple in his vision, but only for a split second, and a searing headache burned throughout his skull, but it eventually subsided.

“Ugh, dammit, I wanna go home...” The boy complained to no one in particular, he pulled out his phone then gasped. “Ah shit! We only got ten minutes before classes start!” He jammed his phone back into his pocket, and addressed the two transfers. “Hey, you two, I know a shortcut, you don’t wanna be late, so follow me, alright?”  
Akira glanced back to Kasumi, he just noticed she looked a bit off, like something was wrong, but she nodded, and they began to follow him into a nearby alleyway, Kasumi following behind him. The trek was wordless, the rain had cleared up enough and a comfortable silence fell over the group, Akira noticed something strange about how the blonde walked, it was almost like he was limping, his knee was bent unnaturally, he wondered what he did to break his leg like that, when an uneasy feeling suddenly came over him.  
He looked back towards Kasumi, she was walking looking straight down with her arms stretched behind her, trying not to yawn, eyes partially shut. Something was really off, the faint city bustle suddenly went deathly quiet, but the others didn’t seem to notice. Akira walked over a puddle, and the water seemed a bit strange coming off his shoe, he looked back forward but heard an alarmed sound from the blonde ahead around the corner.  
  
-

**_ Take your _ **_** Heart** _ _  
_

_-_  
  
Akira knew something was wrong when he looked past the corner and saw the sky, a swirling black and purple mess, a sharp contrast to the cloudy but bright lights just a few minutes ago, and also the castle literally right in front of them.  
The blonde was speechless, and Kasumi was also in a similar state to the blonde, not knowing what to say on the castle just in the neighbourhood, was this a local attraction that was just built recently, or was the sign by the drawbridge reading “Shujin Academy” implying that this indeed was the school they were going to? He didn’t remember talk of early Halloween in the office, but Akira’ll give the school the benefit of the doubt and just say they took a wrong turn, and ask the blonde to go back.

Well, that’s what he was going to do, but the blonde spoke finally, “Uh, this was where the school was, I don’t remember a castle being in the neighborhood, or a freaky sky... Right, red lady?”  
Kasumi sauntered over and slapped him good, not really concerned about the castle but about blondie calling her a nickname she most likely didn’t approve of.

“Agh! What was that for, lady?!”

She slapped him again, this time a backhand, she scolded him. “It’s Kasumi Yoshizawa, monkey boy.” Giving him an oddly neutral but terrifying look all the same, the blonde only nodded afraid to speak lest he be hit again.

Akira decided to speak up before Kasumi killed the boy. “Besides that, how about we go in and ask about the castle with a sign that says 'Shujin Academy' on the nameplate?”

Kasumi flipped her ponytail, “Yes, let’s.” Then spun around and began advancing to the drawbridge, and the blonde only blinked and chased after her, asking her to wait up, Akira merely chuckled at this and joined them.  
They found several large doors and they were unlocked surprisingly, the blonde opened the door and revealed a gorgeous ballroom, with golden chandeliers adorned with jewels hanging from the ceiling, said ballroom/foyer was void of other life, and they merely stumbled inside in search of someone they could ask about what’s going on or where classes start.

“Is this the lobby of our school?” Akira asked sarcastically, but the blonde didn’t seem to catch on to the joke and started making a scene.

“I-I dunno man! Like, I know I didn’t go the wrong way!”

Kasumi chimed in, her tone cutting. “It’s a joke, monkey boy, he’s trying to relieve the situation with a little humor.”

“I’m not a monkey! It’s Ryuji Sakamoto...!”  
Akira sensed a presence, the two were making a scene, and he could feel someone, or something's approach.

“...Geez, you freaked me out, man...” Ryuji complained, Akira looked and saw an actual medieval knight complete with a large sword and shield, a freaky blue mask over the visor with a creepy expression. Kasumi’s sassy behavior evaporated, and she instantly backed away while Ryuji seemed oblivious to the immediate danger of an armed knight in a 'school'.  
She slowly backed away towards him, and Akira took this as a sign to get ready to run for the goddamn hills and never look back.

The knight remained unresponsive, Ryuji continued. “So... you a student? Man, that armor looks really nice, is it real?”  
Kasumi gave him the most disappointed look you could see in existence to Ryuji’s ignorance, and Akira had it too. Ryuji inched closer to the knight in an attempt to touch the armor, then another knight, identical to the current one seemingly popped up out of thin air, like it was always there.

Thankfully, Ryuji finally got the memo that these guys were serious and backed away instantly. “H-Hey...! Chill out, man!”  
Kasumi was even more worried, inching even closer to Akira, eyes as wide as saucers, Akira was the same.

“Damn! These guys are serious! You two get out of here, I’ll distract 'em!” The two immediately spun around and made a mad dash for the entrance door but found it closed, and there was another knight next to the door, they both wracked their brains for escape routes, but couldn’t find any, more and more knights were quickly closing in and Ryuji was already apprehended by the two knights from before.  
Akira didn’t really know what to do against armed knights in full armor with nothing to his name, besides a criminal record for assault that he didn’t even do, so he just resigned himself to death, it would be a better fate then going back to his hellhole of a hometown and be forever labelled as a criminal. He had a good run, probably had the weirdest death out of anyone in a while: “Killed by medieval knights in a castle, while in modern day Tokyo.”  
Kasumi did not as much say a word, probably too scared to make a sound, they were back to back, and she wasn’t moving a muscle. Eventually, the guards closed in, and his vision faded to black, like back in the prior dream.  
...So this is death, huh? Just blackness, no demons, no bullshit? Fine by him, guess he’ll have to entertain himself until time ends.  
Well, he was going to, until he heard a voice calling out to him that jolted him awake, he felt the familiar sensation of a hard bed on his back, except the blue was gone and only crusty stone bricks welcomed him to a jail cell with his two friends, well they never officially said they were friends, so they’re cellmates. Kasumi was gently shaking him awake, face a bit closer than necessary. His nose picked up the faint smell of roses that radiated from her hair, signalling that he was still alive. They weren’t kind enough to end his suffering then and there, unfortunately, much to his disappointment.  
It looked like Ryuji was still out cold, but his leg was twitching, so he’s still alive, at least. He got up to see himself in a dungeon cell, at least it was more spacey then the blue room bathroom stall of a jail cell. Kasumi was sitting on an overturned barrel, hands clasped together, staring him down expectantly.

“What did you expect me to do against armed knights, with nothing to my name?”

“Not much... but, at least see if Sakamoto-kun is still alive for me?”

He accepted and walked over to his sleeping bench, and shook him awake, “Wake the fuck up, Sakamoto, we have a jail to bust out of...”

Ryuji practically sprang out of the rock of a bed he was sleeping on. “...We’re not dead, huh? Do we still have our school shit?”  
Kasumi gestured to the corner of the cell, with their bags stacked unceremoniously atop each other, Ryuji ran over and scoured the black one for something, and he pulled out a brown paper bag with something in it.

“What’s that?” Akira and Kasumi asked in chorus. Ryuji laughed, and pulled out a gun. Kasumi was alarmed but Akira was relieved that they at least had something that looked like a weapon.

“It’s not real though,” The relieved mood disappeared. “but it’ll at least fake ‘em out!” Ryuji exclaimed.

Kasumi cut in. “Yeah it’ll fake them out for a second... until they see that tag on the side, _idiot_”

Akira stopped the argument before Ryuji shoots her somehow, even though the gun supposed to be fake. “Cut the sass, Yoshizawa-san, and don’t shoot that at us, Sakamoto. We need to make a plan to get out of here, first and foremost-” He was cut off by a pained scream that echoed throughout the dungeon, Kasumi visibly stiffened, and Ryuji ran to the bars and tried to shake them open whilst cursing.

Akira had an idea, “Here, let me try, Yoshizawa-san, get off that barrel.”

“Hm...?”

“I’m going to use it like a battering ram.” Ryuji was visibly excited that someone had ideas, and cleared out. “Help me carry it, Sakamoto, I hope it’s heavy...”  
Akira and Ryuji had the barrel ready to run at the door and slam the round metal rim, and hopefully do some damage, but then they heard clanking, sounds of metallic footsteps around the corner. They quickly smashed the barrel into the door to some effect, the metal bars were bent, to the point where one or two more smashes might get them somewhere. They pulled back and tried it again, the footsteps grew louder.  
The second hit gave much better results than the first, one of the bars became deformed so much, that it snapped off the cage of the door, Kasumi picked the bar up as some kind of makeshift weapon, a weapon is better than none. The footsteps were almost deafening at this point, they were just around the corner, not concerned about the smashing sounds coming from the cell of the recent captures. They got one more hit in, the door fell clean off and they tumbled out of the cell with the broken door breaking their fall, not very well albeit.  
The boys rose from the cold, dirty floor, and saw at least five of those knights walking down the hallway towards them, their cell was at a dead end, so the only apparent exit was through those knights. Kasumi handed the metal bar to Ryuji wordlessly, Akira found another bar that fell off, more shabby than Ryuji's, but it will help.

A demonic voice rung out in the hallway. “Be glad your punishment has been decided upon, your charge is “unlawful entry”, thus you two will be sentenced to death.”

“My ass, tin brain...!” Ryuji spat out, getting ready for a losing fight.  
He charged at the guard and walloped it square on the helmet with the cell bar, visibly damaging it.  
Akira followed up quickly and whacked it in the mask, but was sloppily shoved back by its shield, and he dropped the club into the stream of water. Ryuji tried the same attack plan as last time and was smacked with a shield from another guard.

A deep, mysterious, yet vaguely familiar voice cut in on their fight. _**“No one’s allowed to do as they please in my castle.”**_

Ryuji craned his head up to the person who emerged from behind the guard. “Huh? Wait... Is that you, Kamoshida?” Akira was wracking his brain for where he heard that name before...

And Kasumi answered his question. “The P.E. teacher at our school is... _this creep!?_” It looked like Kamoshida, but he had glowing golden eyes and was wearing nothing but a red robe with heart designs, and a pink speedo under it, his voice was also distorted.

_“I thought it was just some petty intruders__..._ _But to think you’d be among them, Sakamoto... Are you trying to disobey me again? It looks like you haven’t learned your lesson at all, huh? And you brought your friends with you this time... because you can’t do anything for yourself.”_

Ryuji spat back, “This ain’t funny, you asshole!”

_“Is that how you speak to a king? It seems you and your little friends don’t understand your positions at all. _ _Not only did you fools sneak into _ _ **MY ** _ _castle, you committed the crime of insulting _ _ **M**__**E—T**__**HE KING!** _ _ ...The punishment for that is death. It’s time for an execution! Take him out!”_

Ryuji backed away once he got back on his feet, long since dropping his weapon. “S-Stop it...!”  
They were backed into the cell yet again, and everyone was quiet besides Ryuji.

“...Goddammit...!” He promptly tackled one of the knights and knocked it down to the ground. “I ain’t down for this shit, c’mon, you two foll-” He was intercepted by one of the other knights socking him straight in the stomach with the pommel of it’s sword, he cried in pain. “...Just go! You two get outta here...! These guys are serious!”

_“Oh? Running away are we?” _Shadow Kamoshida mocked. _“What heartless friends you are.”_

“They ain’t friends...” Ryuji choked out, then all but wheezed his next sentence. “C’mon! Hurry up and go!”

_“__What’s the matter? Too scared to run away?” _Shadow Kamoshida goaded Akira. _“Hmph, pathetic scum isn’t worth my time...I’ll focus on this one’s execution. Then you’ll be next, nasty crimeboy, and then I’ll have my fun with the new addition that was so reluctant to give me what I wanted, although she will only live up to be a side bitch, compared to the princess...”  
_The girl didn’t move a muscle, she didn’t say anything, she was just held down at the back wall by two knights.

Ryuji was being detained by two knights, and was being punched by the king. _“Take this! Lowly scum! Useless pest!”_

Ryuji was utterly beaten bloody by Shadow Kamoshida’s assault, the king spit on Ryuji’s beaten form. _“...Hmph. __Where’d your energy from earlier go? A peasant like you isn’t worth beating. ...I’ll have you killed right now.”  
_Akira could not just watch this freak beat up his friend, then kill the both of them, then turn Kasumi into his personal slut and get away with it.

Akira would not let this stand, he had to say something. “HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!?” The words echoed loudly in the dungeon, the source being an enraged Akira Kurusu.

_“Hm...?” _the king turned._ “What...? Don’t you dare tell me you don’t know who I am?” _Akira gave him the most hurtful look he could muster. _“That look in your eyes irritates me!”_ The king punctuated this with a kick sending Akira down into the corner. _“Hold him there... After the peasant, it’s his turn to die.” _The king approached Ryuji’s beaten form.

“No... No I don’t wanna die!” The shadow simply laughed over Ryuji’s plight.

  
_This is truly an unjust game...  
Your chances of winning are almost none.  
But if my voice is reaching you, then there may yet be a possibility open to you...  
  
__**What’s the matter...? Are you simply going to watch?  
Are you forsaking them so to save yourself?  
Death awaits him if you do nothing.  
Inconceivable suffering awaits her if you do nothing.  
Was your previous decision...  
A mistake then?  
  
**__'It wasn’t.'  
  
__**Very well... I have heeded your resolve.  
  
**__**VOW TO ME.**__**  
  
I am thou, thou art I...  
Thou **__**who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice!  
**__**Call upon my name, and release thy rage!  
Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained... to hell itself!  
  
-<>-  
  
“That’s far enough.”  
  
**_The king slowly craned towards him, bewildered expression plainly on his ugly mug,_ “What was that...?”  
_Ryuji fell down from the wall as the guard turned to the disturbance, Kasumi stayed silent, fearful to break the spell under the chamber.  
The shadow scoffed, cockily, _“You desire to be killed that much? Fine!” _He motioned to the guard, and the shield smashed the glasses off his face.  
  
-  
  
_Take your __Heart_  
  
-  
  
Akira was held up by his neck with two spears keeping him on the wall, the guard in front moments from doing the deed.  
  
He woke up.  
  
What could only be described as raw power expunged from Akira, blasting away all the guards, but not affecting Ryuji or Kasumi in the slightest, it felt welcoming to them, as if that everything will alright from now on. Shadow Kamoshida stood, silent for once.  
  
Akira looked upward, and felt it on his face, a mask, white as bone, birdlike in appearance, with black bleeding eyelashes engraved, he brought his hands up to the mask pulling at it, it would not come off. He tried harder, normal people would’ve stopped when they felt their facial skin tearing off in a bloody mess, but Akira kept going as if he knew what to do by instinct. A horrible sound of flesh being torn from bone and a resounding scream from the person in question echoed, blood was everywhere, but Akira wasn’t worried about it in the slightest, it felt good, amazing actually. He brought his bloody face up to stare the king dead in the eye, and gave a devilish grin, his eyes were the same color as the king's now, as blue flames enveloped his face and evaporated the blood, eventually the inferno engulfed his entire body, and a red face showed through the fire and flames. The bright blue flames came off Akira’s body and formed something vaguely humanoid in shape. Akira’s school clothes were long gone, wearing something what would looking fitting only on a magician, chains rattled and were broken when the blue flames gained wings, and the red smirk materialized as a black horned mask with red fiery markings, giving it the look of having a wicked grin on its face, atop the horned mask was a comically tall top hat, and it bore a cravat under said mask on its neck. It had a fancy black shirt under a torn red jacket that stormed behind its fifteen foot tall presence, it had jet black wings coming out of its back, fluttering out and slamming the guards and king into the corners, the latter promptly scurried away out of the cell from the sheer power it held. Red trousers that ended too short to reach the black midsection had similar design to the jacket it bore, and it wore red boots with bladed heels which certainly weren’t just for show, and the claws were very long and sharp in its eldritch hands. Overall, the thing looked like a comic book monster to Ryuji and Kasumi, and they both just sat jaw dropped at it’s presence, and Akira’s manic expression.  
**“I am the pillager of twilight-- “Arsene”!” T**he demonic creature bellowed, Ryuji and Kasumi were still speechless, and unable to formulate a coherent sentence. “**I am the rebel’s soul that resides within you. If you so desire, I shall consider granting you the power to break through this crisis.”**

Akira smirked while saying, “Not dying sounds pretty cool, let's try doing that.”

Arsene only chuckled lightly at the humor. _**“Hmph, very well...”**_

Shadow Kamoshida finally said something after a hot minute. “_Who the hell are you...!? **GUARDS!”**_ Two piles of armor suddenly snapped back up at attention. _“Start by killing that one!” _And at that, the two guards that were still alive suddenly convulsed into a pile of red and black muck, which soon transformed into two floating pumpkins with a witch hat, cape, no body, and a glove holding a lantern each. _“You’ll learn the true strength of my men!”_  
  
-  
  
**“****Detest the enemies before you! Change that animosity into power... and unleash it!**

Akira didn’t know what he meant, but his hand went to his face, and he felt the mask again, his hand tore it off on its own, and he felt no pain, just a rush of power, and Arsene did the rest. It gathered a mass of dark energy in its claw, then slammed it down to the ground, a circular shadow appeared beneath one of the jack’o lanterns, dark energy came forth from below, and consumed it, it faded away with a distorted cry. The remaining jack’o lantern floated up to him and smacked him with its lantern almost comically, before retreating back to it’s previous position, it didn’t hurt as much as he was expecting, but it still hurt.

**“Swing your blade!” **Arsene commanded, and suddenly Akira became aware of a large curved knife in his hand. He raced up to the foes and went wild with it, three stylish strikes before a graceful handspring backwards, the jack’o lantern didn’t disappear but it did leave notable injuries.

**“This power of mine is yours! Kill them however you want. Run wild to your heart's content!”**

Akira got hit with the lantern again, and he’s had enough of this Halloween asshole, he tears the mask off again, and uses a skill he suddenly knows as “eiha”, the same dark energy envelops the foe, and they disappear instantly. The fight was over and he felt good, better than he has ever remembered feeling, like a massive weight has been lifted off his mind, and he can finally see the world clearly, not through a musty window.  
“What...” Ryuji asked. “Did you just do?” Kasumi finished for him, before they were rudely interrupted.

_You damn brats! I swear I’ll-”_ He was unable to finish his threat, as Ryuji tackled him, knocked him into the rather shallow water canal, he was now too far down to climb up to where they were.

“Hah! You like that you son of a bitch!?” Ryuji all but screamed, happy to be alive.

Kasumi swiftly joined them outside of the cell, and eyeballed Akira. “Hey! What was that just now, that turned you like this...?”

She poked his arm, at the mysterious outfit, and he shrugged nonchalantly. “Not bad, huh? But first, we need to get the hell out of here.”

“Yeah! Lead the way, Renren!” Ryuji backed him up, Kasumi corrected Ryuji before Akira could. They could hear Kamoshida shouting vulgar obscenities, but they ignored him completely and fled down the hall.  
  
-

_Take your Heart_  
  
-  
  
They quickly came to a dead end, as the cage door the guards came through was locked, the guards clearly weren't planning on letting them out of this dungeon. Fortunately, there was a broken bridge just across to their right that they could jump across, to get to the other side of the stream. The adjacent door on this side was left open, which means they won’t be stuck right at the start of their escape. They quickly found another dead end that required them to hop across two large cages in the river to get to the other side, across that they quickly came to another locked door with no apparent way past. Ryuji had pretty much resigned himself to rotting in a dungeon, when Kasumi found a convenient hole they could crawl through in an open cell to get to the other side, and they did. Of course, Ryuji was stupid, and didn’t realize why Kasumi kept on insisting he go in the hole first, he didn’t get what the issue was at all, and Akira thought he never actually figured the issue with her going first out. They crossed a drawbridge and found a spiral staircase leading up, which given that they’re in a dungeon, that should lead to the exit.  
They opened the door at the top only to find more dungeon to drag themselves through, Ryuji complained, and Kasumi berated him for being 'a loud monkey'. Akira really didn’t think being in a castle and him summoning a demon to help him fight off other demons, monsters, and malevolent spirits was a problem, he took everything in stride in life, but these two didn’t seem too concerned, they might need to have a reality check once we get out of this hellhole... But overall they seemed fine. Not too long after Kasumi’s scolding they found students with weird helmets in jail cells like them, or even hanging in a cage from the ceiling over the river, but they really didn’t have time to be worrying about other people who have been captured, they want to save their own hides and be out with this castle.  
They found a drawbridge, but it was raised so they couldn’t use it to cross, they kept going up the path to a dead end. Ryuji gave up, but another voice besides Kasumi’s called out to him.

“...Hey, you there.” He didn’t seem to notice. “...Blondie! Frizzy hair! Redhead! Look over here!” The group found the source of the racket, to see a funny cartoon cat burglar in a jail cell.

Ryuji freaked out the most he had today “AHH! What is that thing!?”

Kasumi full on had a reality check: “_Oh. My. God._ Is that... **A MONSTER CAT!?**” Akira personally wasn’t really concerned by it, he already has been influenced by Arsene.

The cat didn’t take the monster cat part too kindly, “_WHAT!?_ First of all, I’m NOT a cat! Much less a monster! Second of all, the key’s right there at your feet! Get me out of this cell, please!”

Ryuji wasn’t having it though. “What? Well first of all, we’re trying to get the hell out of here, and second of all, I mean you obviously look like an enemy too!”

“I’m locked up here, so how can I be your enemy!? Help me out!” The monster cat protested.

Kasumi whisper-shouted. “Quiet down!” They could hear metallic footsteps echoing, the same as when they were in the cell.

Akira cursed. “They’re catching up already!”

Ryuji pulled out his phone, “Damnit! There’s still no service! Is there any way to contact someone outside!?”

The cat’s expression lit up for some reason, “Hey! You three! You wanna know where the exit is? Let me out, and I’ll take you there. You don’t wanna get caught and executed, right?”

Akira thought about it, but Kasumi answered for him yet again. “You better not be lying, kitty.”

“I’m not lying! It’s the truth!”

Ryuji turned to the two of them, a displeased expression on his face. “This thing sounds like it’s all talk...”

The cat quickly rebutted, “If you guys think you can get out on your own, then be my guest!”

“Whadda we do...?”  
The footsteps suddenly got much louder. “Are you_ seriously,_ not messin’ with us!?”

“If you don’t hurry,” The cat deadpanned, “they’ll catch you.”

Ryuji gave in, “F-Fine...” Kasumi unlocked the cell, and the strange creature walked out, a free cat.

“Ahhhhhh... freedom tastes so great,” The monster cat stretched it's stubby arms.

Ryuji speedily quipped. “Now, where’s the exit, you monster cat?!”

“Don’t call me a cat! I am Morgana!” The newly named Morgana exclaimed.

“Shuddup and hurry up!” Ryuji half complained, half commanded. “You wanna be locked up again!?”

“A-All right, sheesh!” Morgana cried. “Follow me, and stay quiet!” They followed Morgana back to the drawbridge.  
  
-

_Take your Time_

_-_

“...It’s fourth period already.” A woman complained to no one in particular. “Sakura-san said that Kurusu-kun left the house this morning. Should I contact the police...? No, that’ll just be more of a hassle... *Sigh*... What did I do to deserve this...?"  
  
-  
  
_ Take your Heart _  
  
-  
  
“Oh well... I guess we gotta just follow it.” Ryuji said. Once they got to the drawbridge, Ryuji asked, “What’re you doin’?”

Morgana turned toward him. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m lowering the bridge.” Morgana turned his attention to Akira. “You, Frizzy Hair. It seems like you pick up on things faster than Blondie and Redhead over here. Try checking around the mouth of this statue, Okay?” Akira walked up to the statue of Kamoshida, put his gloved hand on the jaw, and pulled down by instinct, the jaw moved downwards, the eyes lit up, and the bridge lowered as a result.

“For real!? How were we supposed to know to do that!?”

Morgana flippantly stated. “Hmph, amateur. Come on, let’s keep going!”

They ran across the drawbridge and came to a new area, but a guard suddenly appeared around the corner, and Ryuji screamed, “A-Aah! Shit... Shit, it’s them!”

Morgana jumped in front of Ryuji and Kasumi, “Tch... You amateur! Stay still!” He looked to Akira. “Hey, you! You can fight, right? Let’s go!” Morgana did a flip and announced. “Come...! Zorro!”  
A huge black duelist appeared in the same blue aura that Arsene did, it drew a ‘Z’ shape with it’s rapier.

“Y-You got one of those things too!?” Ryuji exclaimed, the shadow convulsed and revealed its true form.

“Hmph, we will promptly shut them up!” Morgana bragged.

-

The true form of the knight was another jack’o lantern. and some sort of male demon with a large horn on it's crotch, likely representing a dick, Kasumi was visibly disgusted.

Morgana cursed, “Damn Shadows... they’ve taken up intercept positions! It means they’re holding nothing back and are serious to kill us! I’ll back you up, so fight like your life depends on it! Let’s go!”

Akira summoned his Persona, and casted eiha, but it didn’t kill the jack’o lantern this time.

“Hmph, I knew you were an amateur. This is how you fight! Zorro! Show your might!” Morgana casted garu on the jack’o lantern, and the jack’o lantern fell down to the ground, not dead but struggling to get back up, as if an unseen force was keeping it down. “Strike at an enemy’s weakness to knock them down! Use that opening to strike again! That’s the most basic of basics! Remember it well! C’mon, let’s hurry and get through this!” Morgana casted garu again, this time against the Incubus, it took notable damage but it wasn’t knocked down, so wind was not it’s weakness.

The demon closed in and scratched Morgana, while the jack’o lantern whacked Akira with it’s lantern.

Akira casted eiha at the Incubus, it was almost dead now.

Morgana casted garu at the jack’o lantern again, and it was defeated. Morgana used this opportunity to quickly slice the Incubus with his scimitar (Where does he even keep that?) and defeat it, the fight was over.  
  
-  
  
The peanut gallery rejoined the group, and Morgana praised the magician. “Not bad. Your Persona’s pretty powerful.”

Ryuji was awed. “Persona...?”

Kasumi groaned. “Those things that come out of Akira and Morgana, monkey boy.” Ryuji and Kasumi were in a heated argument, while Morgana only sighed over their quarrelling in a 'life or death, keep quiet or die' situation.

“_Anyway_,” Morgana broke up the quarrel. “You saw how Frizzy Hair here ripped off his mask when he summoned it, right?” The two nodded. “Well, everybody wears a mask deep down in their heart. By removing that-”

Ryuji suddenly gave up on using his brain to process information, and Kasumi gave him a dirty look. “Rrgh, that’s enough! This bullshit doesn’t make any sense!”

Morgana was disappointed. “Can’t you just sit still and listen for once, Blondie!?”

Ryuji fired back and Kasumi was resigned from the conversation-argument. “Don’t call me Blondie! My name’s Ryuji...”

Morgana derailed the talk though, “Actually, there’s no time for me to lecture you! You wanna escape this place in one piece, right? Let’s go!” Morgana pulled something out of his tiny tool belt. “Oh, but before that... take these. Use them carefully, okay?” Akira took the items in question, they looked like... painkillers? That could wait, they needed to get moving before they were found again. “Come on, we should hurry. It’s not much further to the exit.” Kasumi’s face lit up at that, happy to be close to the exit of this hellhole of a castle. They continued on, and Morgana warned, “Just make sure you're in good shape, those things should heal cuts, bruises, burns, and the like much quicker than they do in the real world. There’s still a chance we’ll end up having to fight in here.”  
They travelled up a long staircase/hallway and found another drawbridge with the statue of Kamoshida’s face on it.

Ryuji stopped the group and looked to the left, “Hold on a sec!” He walked up to a cage with a person in it, they were wearing red gym clothes, and a weird metal helmet that seemed to be stuck on his head. “I feel like I’ve seen what this dude’s wearin’ before...” He cursed for the umpteenth time this past... hour? Day? They don’t know how long they were out in that cell, but they were escaping now. “Dammit! I’m too flustered! I can’t remember a damn thing!”

Kasumi scolded him for being a idiot and a loud monkey, for the umpteenth time, again. “Stop making a commotion, or we’re leaving you behind, monkey!”

Before Ryuji and Kasumi could get in another fight, Morgana swiftly exclaimed. “Come on! Let’s go! Before I change my mind on taking you lovebirds to the exit!” Ryuji was once again going to say something, but Kasumi simply elbowed him in the gut to stop him from polluting the air with more stupidity, and they followed the cat without killing each other. Akira only inwardly chuckled at the lovebird part, and continued on.

Except that a voice stopped them in their tracks. “There!” The drawbridge lowered, and a guard was at the end of it, running at them. The group held their ground and the peanut gallery/'lovebirds' hid behind some crates, while Akira and Morgana got ready for a fight. The knight turned into two Pixies, and the fight was on.

-

Akira immediately summoned Arsene and used eiha on one of the assailants, they were annihilated instantly, and the other one seemed hesitant to fight all of a sudden. Morgana praised him for 'hitting it’s weakness', and Akira took this opportunity to strike with eiha again, killing the other one without as much either getting hit.

Morgana didn’t seemed miffed on not getting any action, and quickly urged. “All right! Let’s get away before more show up!” No one protested, so they made their way across the bridge, but Kasumi dragged behind collecting some coins off the floor, they weren’t there before, and there was only about 150 yen, but that could cover a train fare for her.

She muttered to nobody. “No time like the present...” She caught up with the group that didn’t notice her brief absence.

They went through a door just past the drawbridge, and Morgana was heading up some stairs to the right. “The entrance hall is right above here! The exit’s close... Keep it up!” They very soon found themselves back in the entrance hall, not a soul was there with them.  
Or so they thought...

  
-  
  
_Take your Heart_  
  
-  
  
They were squarely ambushed by several guards, there had to be at least ten of them, and one of them was much larger and had golden armor, behind said guard was... Kamoshida? They didn’t know how he got up to the ground floor before them, much less how he got out of that pit they sent him down. But he was right in front of their faces, and they were just about to run for the exit doors when they saw guards posted on each three potential exits.

Shadow Kamoshida sneered at their misfortune, _“You peasants really thought I’d just let you waltz into my castle, disrespect the king of said castle, hit the king of said castle, then try and escape with your lives intact...? You fools really don’t get it do you? I am going to **educate** you, on the errors of your thieving ways.”_

Ryuji was getting fired up. “The school ain’t your castle! I’m gonna beat you so many fuckin’ times with my right hand, that you’ll beg me to hit you with my left!”

The king didn’t seem fazed by this, however. _“It seems it’s true when they say “barking dogs seldom bite.” How far the star runner of the track team has fallen.”_

Kasumi spoke up against the king. “What are you getting at!?”

_I speak of the “Track Traitor” who acted in violence, ending his teammates’ dreams. Oh I can only imagine the pain of the others Sakamoto dragged under with his... selfish act.”_

Ryuji was hesitant. “Ngh...”

Akira was confused about the nickname. “”Track Traitor”?”

_What a surprise.” _The king goaded._ “So you and that redhead slut, are accompanying him without knowing anything at all? He betrayed his teammates and crushed their hopes, yet he still carries on as carefree as ever.”_

“That’s not true!” Ryuji exclaimed to no avail.

_“You’ve come along with this fool... and now you are going to end up dead, and that bitch is going to give me what I’ve been so horribly denied for the rest of her days... **How unlucky of you.**” _He turned to the guard captain, and scoffed. _“Go. Kill the fools, but leave the girl alive: you know the drill. Don’t sully my castle with garbage.” _The king went back to the stairs, to spectate the upcoming defeat of the foolish intruders.  
The guard captain gestured for the lower ranking knights to attack, and they revealed their true forms to the assailants, three Bicorns took their place.

Ryuji sulked resentfully. “Goddammit...”

Morgana got in front of the peanut gallery. “Ryuji, move! Keep her safe!” And the fight was on, except for how Akira and Morgana were surrounded, while Ryuji and Kasumi could only watch from a distance.  
  
-  
  
Morgana cursed, “Ngh... we’re surrounded!”

One of the Bicorns suddenly spoke in a hoarse (pun intended) voice. “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you ‘cause King Kamoshida told us! I’ll kill ‘cause that’s what he wants!”  
One of the other shadows suddenly lunged at Morgana, horns primed. Morgana was hit with the blunt side of the horns, but still cried in extreme pain on contact. The same happened to Akira: the one who yelled snorted, and rammed him right in the guts, knocking the air out of him, he was much more resilient than the cat, but he still probably had a horrible bruise forming. But then the third one hit him in the side and almost smashed his rib cage from the sheer force of the attack. Akira was barely still holding on to consciousness, but he didn’t hear the peanut gallery’s scream for his safety.

Akira quickly tried to retaliate with eiha, but it didn’t seem to do much to the Bicorn he hit, it didn’t even make a sound at the hit.

Morgana followed up on the same note and hit it with garu, it looked like it got a response out of it, the enemy seemed low on energy, but the other ones were about to attack, and they were out of time, as more reinforcements were coming for them.

“There’s more of them? This is bad...” Morgana complained before being knocked out by another strike, and Akira got hit all the same, and was subdued.  
  
-  
  
Kamoshida had descended from the stairs, walked up to Morgana’s beaten form, and stepped on its back.

Morgana protested vehemently. “Rgh... You piece of--” He didn’t finish that sentence. Akira was stomped by the golden knight, presumably the captain of the guard.

Kamoshida spoke smugly to Ryuji and Kasumi, who were surrounded by the remaining knights. _“I bet you peasants just came here on a whim and ended up like this. Isn’t that right?”_

Ryuji was visibly shaken at his words, but his voice didn’t convey that. “No...” Kasumi had tears forming in the corners of her eyes, they had lost, and her and their lives were over.

_“What worthless pieces of trash, getting emotional so quickly... How dare you raise your hand at me, Sakamoto. Though it was only temporary, have you forgotten my kindness in supervising track practice?”_

Ryuji was outraged. “Wasn’t no practice-- It was physical abuse! You just didn’t like our team, you asshole!”

The king fired back instantly, _“It was nothing but an eyesore! The only one who needs to achieve results is me! That coach who got fired was hopeless too... Had he not opposed me with a sound argument, I would have just settled it with only breaking his star’s leg.”_

“What...?” Ryuji was surprised at this new piece of information.

_“Do you need me to deal with your other leg too?” _The shadow bragged mockingly. _“The school will call it self defense anyway!”_

Ryuji was on the cusp of a breakdown. “Dammit... Am I gonna lose again...? Not only can I not run anymore... the track team is gone too ‘cause of this asshole...!”

Morgana whispered to himself, “So that’s why...”

Kamoshida shut the cat up. _“Once these two are dealt with, you’re next. And then I’ll have my fun with that Yoshizawa chick, before throwing her in with the rest of the whores.”_

She screamed at this statement, “N-No...! Wait...!” He only laughed at her misfortune.

The cat was anxious, this wasn’t how the plan was supposed to go, yet, he couldn’t get this stinky asshole off of his back, “Ryuji!” and could only choke out a name. Akira had stayed silent so far, but he needed to at least try, if he didn’t then he’d wind up dead in this castle along with his new friends Ryuji and Morgana, and Kasumi would suffer the most out of all of them, he couldn’t bring himself to think of what she would endure at the slimy hands of this scumbag.

His hoarse voice retched out something. “_Stand up for yourself...!_” He wheezed on the ground in pain, his spine was likely fractured, but that’s all he could do for his friends, this was truly an unjust game, and he didn’t have anyone here to save them.

But his two friends got the message, something dangerous flashed in their eyes besides the tears of grief and fear, they slowly stood up from a crouching position.

They said in unison, “You’re right...”

Ryuji monologued first. “Everything that was important to me was taken by him... I’ll never get ‘em back...!”

Kasumi followed, voice shaky but clear. “You are the _worst_ person I’ve had the misfortune of coming across, in the few days I’ve been here you still haven’t given up on your sexual harassment... What little you do know is that I’m not just some pretty face pushover, I’m myself, and a fool such as you will never change that. _You will **rue** the day you set your sights on me._”

The king ignored both of them and only arrogantly cackled. _“Stay there and watch. Look on as these hopeless scum die for nothing because they sided with trash like you.” _The two inched closer towards the object of their outrage.

They said in eerily perfect unison “No... That’s what you are..." Kasumi seethed, "All you think about is using people..." Ryuji finished off, "You’re the real scumbag, Kamoshida!”

They continued to inch closer, and closer, Kamoshida panicked. “_What are you doing!? Silence them!_” ...But no one responded.

They both pointed at him in sync, and screamed once again in unison. **“Stop looking down on us, with that stupid smile on your face!!"**  
  
-<>-

**You made me wait quite a while.  
You seek power, correct? Then let us form a pact.  
Since your name has been disgraced already, why not hoist the flag and wreak havoc...?  
The “other you” who exists within desires it thus...  
I am thou, thou art I...  
There is no turning back...!  
The skull of rebellion is your flag henceforth!  
  
So, you’ve finally made up your mind, dearest princess...?  
You believe that the unjust oppression, that plagues your daily life should begone, correct?  
Since all you are to others is but a pretty face, then why not show them the beauty of death...?  
The real you ****repressed within desires its ****liberation...  
I am thou, thou art I...  
You’ve finally found your needle in the haystack that is your mind...  
Now don’t lose it yet again, my dearest...  
  
**Morgana was wide eyed at the two simultaneous awakenings happening all at once in front of him, he had scored the jackpot of Persona users today. Akira was baffled that someone, or something pulled through. And then granted them the power to oppose Kamoshida’s tyranny.

The knight captain above him scoffed, “Hmph. What can you do...? Cower in fear and watch!” Ryuji and Kasumi were trying to get the masks off, Akira prayed they got them off before the captain chopped his head off, and they did, with combined screams blood splattered across the room and blue flames erupted behind them, blowing away all the guards yet again. Thankful his head was still on his shoulders, Akira helped Morgana up to his feet, and got ready for the inevitable fight coming up, his spine hurt like hell, but it was: _‘fight now, bitch later.’_.  
  
-  
  
Two Personas emerged from the blaze, Ryuji’s was a thuggish skeleton pirate riding atop a pirate ship, akin to a skateboard, with a golden arm cannon on it’s right skeleton arm, fitting his rebellious image to a T. Kasumi’s was much more mysterious, a regal lady garbed in a velvet blue and golden yellow dress, fitting for a princess, stood at attention behind her. The persona’s face and other features were pitch black, and her golden hair done up in a blue bow looked metallic in a way, and glass heels sharp enough to cut diamonds were at the end of her long legs.  
Ryuji’s clothing had went to his winter uniform to a pirate like garb, a red necktie with exotic belts lined with red shotgun shells, and yellow gloves. The back of his attire had metal armor resembling plated backbones, all in all, he looked like a complete thug. Kasumi’s attire went from a generic female winter uniform to a black strapless leotard, a trench coat almost identical to Akira’s, but with some golden buttons and highlights, and it covered significantly less, knee high boots with black stiletto heels, the red bow that tied her hair in a ponytail was now jet black, a black choker on her neck, she had the same red latex gloves as him. A small chain link belt was snaked around her hips, with a metal rose attached opposite a scabbard that held a silver rapier, that she had since unsheathed and held high with her eyes closed. Ryuji looked up with a stupid grin on his face, likely high on the power that Akira felt intoxicating before.

Kamoshida was practically shaking in his boots. _“Ugh... These two as well?!”_

Ryuji didn’t seem to hear him and was looking at his new yellow gloves in awe. “Right on... Wassup, Persona... This fuckin’ rocks! Now that I got this power, it’s time for payback...” He cracked his knuckles. “Yo, I’m ready... Bring it!”

Kasumi opened her eyes and brought the rapier down, dangerous glare on her face directed at the disgusting pervert in front of her. “I’ll have your head on a platter, you scumbag...!” She brought her left hand up to her face in flair. “Cendrillon!”

The knight captain trembled in anger. “Ngh... Don’t mock me, you _**brats!**_” Bringing his golden sword down and revealing its true form, through the thick ashen smoke came a colossal bloody armored knight atop a demonic horse, immense lance in hand.

Ryuji was up for the challenge: “Blast 'em away... **Captain Kidd!**"  
  
-  
  
“What troublemakers that bother King Kamoshida with trifle matters!” The knight bellowed furiously.

“Kamoshida is just some asshole who won one big trophy,” Ryuji taunted the knight. “and is hung up on it because he’s washed up like the assfucker he is! Let’s do this, Captain Kidd!” Akira and Morgana joined up with the two with a wordless nod and stood their ground against the Eligor.

The knight thrusted his spear in the air, and two Bicorns came out of the ground.

Ryuji removed the black metal skull mask and shouted “Personaughhhh...!” at the top of his lungs, and threw a zio at one of the Bicorns. The lightning strike had amazing effect and it appears that not only was the Bicorn knocked right off it’s feet, but it was shaking on the ground, helpless, from the voltage. Ryuji did the same thing again to the other Bicorn, knocked it down, then struck the same one again with the opening he got.

Morgana took advantage of the disarray, and invoked garu at the Eligor to minimal effect, he cursed then dodged the spear that was thrown right at him in retaliation.

Akira summoned Arsene and commanded it to swipe the shocked Bicorn with it’s claws, it attacked to tremendous effect, the thing died instantly on contact with the claws.

Kasumi tore the black crescent mask with silver adornments off her face and summoned Cendrillon, who proceeded to cast kouha to moderate effect, it certainly shook the horse.

The Eligor attacked with a vicious swipe of it’s spear and hit all but Kasumi head on to great damage.

The Bicorn that was knocked down got back up and lunged at Kasumi with it’s two curved horns, she gracefully sidestepped, then it got it’s head lopped off, killing it gruesomely yet effectively.

The knight surpressed a indignant roar, and summoned three more Bicorns, Ryuji spammed zio on all of them, then commanded Kidd to skateboard over all of the Bicorns with it’s ship, all of them went down quickly with little effort.

Morgana used a dia spell to heal himself.

Akira casted eiha, but it had no apparent effect on the knight.

The knight gave up on summons and winning the fight, it tried to kill at least one of them, it made a mad charge for Ryuji as he seemed the slowest and the most likely to be hit, trying to trample and impale him at the same time: spear missed... but the horse booted Ryuji across the entire ballroom, much to Morgana’s fright, Morgana went to protect Ryuji from further abuse, and Akira and Kasumi were the only ones left to hold him off.

Kasumi suddenly flew forward with grace, and narrowly front flipped over the half hearted swipe of the lance in a feeble attempt to get her away from him, and slashed at the legs of the horse multiple times; four times, once for each leg, in fact, the horse merely disappeared, and the knight was left on the ground with no mount for advantage.

Akira took the initiative to strike with his knife precisely hitting unarmored sections, causing a good heap of black goop to fly out of the cracks in the armor.

The Eligor tried to do anything, but it failed to hit Akira, and ended up being purged by a subsequent kouha from Kasumi’s Persona. The fight was over, and Ryuji was back with Morgana, significantly healed thanks to Zorro’s healing abilities.  
  
-  
  
Kamoshida was terrified, not only did those brats actually fight his best knight, but they made a fool of him.

Ryuji was panting, “...How ‘bout that!?”

Morgana decided to announce his thoughts, “Whoa... So they both had the potential too...”

“Even if you apologize now...” Ryuji threatened, “I ain’t forgivin’ you...!”

The king didn’t seem scared at all. _“I told you that this is my castle. It seems you still don’t understand...” _A marvelous and beautiful girl, in nothing but what needs to be covered, and a cat ear crown walked up beside him out of thin air, somehow she looked vaguely familiar to Akira.

It seemed like Ryuji recognized her; “Wh-- Takamaki!?” So that was her name, but that seemed more like a last name to him.

“Oh...! Wha...” The cat was utterly entranced. “...What a meow-velous and beautiful girl...!” Kasumi was confused, but she also appeared to recognize the girl. This Takamaki began to stroke the kings back.

Ryuji was dumbfounded. “What’s going on...!?”

Akira knew that something was wrong, “Something seems off.”

“Agreed.” Kasumi was unnerved at the newcomer’s behaviour.

Ryuji cursed yet again, “Dammit... Why’s Takamaki here...?!” The Shadow Kamoshida turned and held her chin.

“Hey! Let go of her, you perv!” Ryuji exclaimed.

_“How many times must I tell you until you understand? This is __**MY **__castle—a place in which I can do whatever I want. Everyone wishes to be loved by me.” _He turned back towards them _“...That is, everyone besides slow-witted thieves like you.”_

“Takamaki!” Ryuji pleaded. “Say somethin’!”

Morgana dismissed him, “Calm down, Ryuji! It seems that girl isn’t the real one. She’s the same as those slaves we saw earlier, beings created by Kamoshida’s cognition!”

_“_ _Are you jealous? Well I’m not surprised. Women aren’t drawn to problematic punks like you.”_

“Dammit...!” Ryuji cursed even yet again.

_“Clean them up this instant!”_ Five guards popped up in a pink flash from the floor.

“We’re outnumbered...” Morgana mused, “Let’s scram before we get surrounded!”

Ryuji wasn’t having it, “We’re not gonna do anything and just run!?”

Kasumi quipped him for the millionth time this trip to hell, “Just shut it and run...!”

“Thank god you have a level head.” Morgana sighed.

“Ngh...” Ryuji gave in, “Fine.” But not before turning tail with the others and flipping off the guards, whilst running for the doors.  
Ryuji was panting when they got a good enough distance away from the castle, behind a corner out of sight. “...Anyways!” He stood up straight, “I don’t remember changin’ into this!” He gestured to his new getup.

Akira complimented him “It looks good on you.”

Ryuji gave him a shit-eating grin “Not as bad as yours!”

“You look like a thug.” Kasumi deadpanned and everyone besides Ryuji laughed at his misfortune.

A distorted voice shutted them up, “Did you find them!?”

“Quiet...!” Morgana whisper shouted.

“No. Search that way!” the voice faded, and the tension disappeared.

Ryuji started, “So what’s goin’ on?” He kicked the pavement. “I’m completely lost, man...!”

Morgana crossed his arms “When a Persona-user opposes a Palace’s ruler and becomes a threat to them, this happens. It’s to prevent you from being affected by distortions. Although I’ve never seen two awakenings at the same time, marvelous work, you two!”

Ryuji felt his face mask. “Is this... a skull?”

Morgana explained again. “Your appearance reflects your inner self. It’s the rebel that slumbers within... Not that you’ll get it.”

Ryuji was about to get in another argument, but Kasumi elbowed him in the gut again, he choked out “N-Nope...”

“Then stop asking questions and accept what you see for what it is.”

“Easy for you to say-” Yet another elbow to the gut. “Agh! Take it easy will ya!?” She merely flicked her ponytail, he was about to try and say something funny but then it hit him. “Wait! We’re in deep shit!”

“I said to be quiet!” The cat growled.

“We might’ve gotten away here,” Ryuji panicked. “but we’re still fucked with Kamoshida at our school...!”

Morgana seemed surprised at his burst of intuition. “That’s quite sharp of you... For being an idiot. Relax, the Kamoshida in reality can’t possibly know about what goes down here. The Shadow is the true self that is suppressed—a side of one’s personality even they don’t want to see.”

“...So...” Ryuji thought for a moment. “we’re okay...?”

Kasumi cut in. “We’ll worry about it when we get there, for now, I want to get out of this pocket dimension of hell, and go back to the school. Who knows how long we’ve been here, and how late we are?”

Akira confirmed with a nod, “Agreed, I don’t wanna be here any longer than we have to, let’s scram, gang.”

“Gang? I like the sound of that!” Ryuji egged Akira on, Kasumi gave him the elbow incoming look, and he wiped the look off his face.

Morgana looked at the three expectantly “You aren’t gonna repay the hospitality I showed you guys!? After all that hand holding I did, you’re just gonna run off even though you’re all already parts of my master plan!? I was going to have you guys help me delve deep into Mementos and--”

Ryuji cut him off. “What did we say about helpin’ you kitty? We got a school to be to, and quite frankly I want to live a little longer than five minutes of following you around and gettin’ killed by some stupid trap in that goddamn castle.”

Akira waved the cat off “Don’t get busted again, my little kitty burglar."

Morgana was visibly shocked then he yelled back at their retreating figures. “HEY! Why are you guys running off like everything’s all hunky-dory!?” They were gone in a flash of red once they reached the end of the drawbridge. “Oh hell no! Get back here...! Rgghh... Rggggghhhhhh...!!”  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time  
  
-  
  
_“...Did we make it...?” Ryuji complained, and Akira looked at his phone.  
_“You have returned to the real world. Welcome back.” _A navigation voice rang out from his phone.

Ryuji was confused. “Huh? Returned...? Does that mean we got away from those freaks...?”

Kasumi sleepily answered. “Seems like it.”

“I dunno what to think anymore... But I’m feeling like a sack of bricks.”

“I’ll second that.” Kasumi inhaled.

Akira joked. “I’ll third that.”

They all shared a little giggle and then Ryuji sighed. “What was all that anyways...? That castle, and Kamoshida, and that weird monster cat! What the hell’s goin’ on!?” Ryuji shouted a bit too loudly for Akira’s tastes.

“What’s with the yelling? Are you students of Shujin?”

_Great, the cops_, just what Akira needs. The officer seemed to goad Ryuji to try something. “Cutting classes, are we?”

“Huh?” Akira could tell Ryuji just wanted to disappear into the ground, there was no telling how late they were while stuck in that castle, it may have been an hour or many hours, it was too cloudy to tell by the sun, and he was bad at telling time via the sun, mostly because he was stuck inside all the time back in his hometown.

Ryuji continued his alibi. “No!” Ryuji aggressively replied. “We were tryin’ to get to school, and we ended up at this... weird castle!” Kasumi had to repress a facepalm at him being stupid, no one would believe him; and they might think he was high on something and take him away.

“...What? Hand over your bag, you better not be doing any drugs.”

Kasumi’s suspicions were right, Ryuji fumbled for a moment before getting it out. “W-Why would you think that!?”

The other officer spoke for once, “Are you his friends?”

The question was intended for Akira, “He was bullying me.” Kasumi almost snorted, the guy was a nut job to say that to the cops like that in this situation, she had to bring her palm to cover her mouth; stupid smile and flush on her face.

“W-What!? That’s n-not it at all man! Stop playin’ around!”  
Kasumi was having her laugh, but she didn’t need Ryuji getting taken away by the officers, they might be taken in too. So she put up her “air head kind girl mask” and convinced them that Akira was just joking around, and that she’s terribly sorry for wasting their time, the act worked like a charm and they let them off the hook.  
  
-  
  
Take your Time  
  
-  
  
“Is this for real...?” Ryuji glowered. They were standing in front of the school, and it was just that—a school, no knights, no demons, no monster cats, just the prison complex that is known as Shujin Academy.

Kasumi was silent, and Ryuji was baffled “I’m sure we came the same way... What’s goin’ on here...?”

An authoritative voice cut in, silencing the group. “That’s exactly what I wanted to ask you.” It was some kind of official. “We received a call from the police.” Kasumi cursed internally, she knew that cop was an asshole.

“That damn cop snitched on us after all!”

The counselor thought verbally. “It’s rare to not see you alone, Sakamoto. Where were you roaming around with Yoshizawa-san until this time?!”

“Uhh...” Ryuji sweat dropped. “a ca—a castle?” Kasumi and Akira almost facepalmed again, the adults didn’t believe him the first time he said that.

“So, you have no intention of giving an honest answer...?” The counselor sighed.

An utterly cursed voice chimed in, and the group very noticeably stiffened. “What’s this about a “castle”?”

Ryuji was the first to announce the new presence. “Kamoshida!?”

“You seem so carefree, Sakamoto.” Kamoshida smugly stated. “Quite a difference from when you did morning practice for the track team.”

“Shuddup! It’s your fault that--” Ryuji shot back aggressively, before being berated by the other adult.

“How dare you speak that way to Mr. Kamoshida!?” The counsellor added in his two yen. “...There’s not much leeway left for you, you know?”

“He’s the one that provoked me!” Ryuji was even more aggressive this time.

“Do you really want to be expelled!?” The counsellor added his three yen. “In any case, you’ll have to explain yourself! Follow me!”

Ryuji scowled, “What!? This is bullshit!”

In a rare display of albeit: fake mercy, Kamoshida dismissed the counsellor’s concerns. “Come now. I should have been more considerate, too. Let’s just say that both of us were to blame.”

“Well, if you say so...” He seemed almost disappointed but backed off on Ryuji’s case. But that quickly disappeared “Still, you’re coming with me, there is no denying that you are extremely late, Sakamoto.”

Ryuji gave in to his demands. “Fine...”

Kamoshida addressed the newest transfer student. “By the way... you’re that new transfer student, correct? Akira Kurusu...?”  
Ryuji went with the man into the school, but not before giving Kamoshida a deathly look that could kill a thousand times over.  
Kamoshida ignored the blonde, then proceeded to fake surprise. “...Have we met somewhere?”

Akira could tell him about the castle sarcastically, but he opted to not get on the man’s bad side, in the real world at least. “I saw a girl in your car.” He tried to derail the castle talk; but still not deny they haven’t met.

“That’s right... I remember now.” His phony surprise went away. “...Well I’ll overlook this just this once for you two, the subways being delayed or cancelled, and the rain, not to mention the stress of being in a new school.” His tone quickly went sour and he directed his ire at the newest transfer. “I’m sure you’ve heard from the principal, but cause any trouble and you’ll be expelled. Understand?”

Akira really wanted to be sassy but his expulsion was on the line here. “I understand.” He hated giving in to rules and regulations and being all polite, some part of it didn’t sit right with him.

“...At any rate, hurry up and go to the faculty office. I’m sure Ms. Kawakami’s tired of waiting." Kamoshida turned towards the gates, but not advancing before he talked without as much as turning his head back. "...Good luck trying to enjoy your new school life.”  
Akira shot a look at Kasumi as if asking _‘Is he always like this?’_ and she only solemnly nodded, and went up into the school. Akira soon followed into the school, it was going to be a slow ass day, huh?  
_'At least it's lunchtime already...'_

-  
  
_ Take your Time _

_ \- _

He managed to find the faculty office on the second floor, after wandering with hushed whispers from most students following him around like a plague. The room was relatively quiet, sounds of keyboards clicking, pages flipping, and pens writing filled the air, but he saw that zombie lady from yesterday in the sea of office desks and crammed books, and she somehow looked even more tired now that he showed up.

“*Sigh*... unbelievable... Being over half a day late on your first day...? Can you explain yourself?”  
Akira wracked his brain for excuses, the castle shit wouldn’t work so he just had to blame the awful transportation and congestion.

She really didn’t believe him but gave in anyway. “And more importantly... I heard you were caught along with that Sakamoto-kun, and that other transfer?”

“I didn’t really have a choice to be honest.”

She sighed again for the umpteenth time this past minute. “...Don’t get involved with him, okay? He’s nothing but trouble. He wasn’t like that when he was devoting his time to track and field though...” She mused. “...Anyway. Break’s almost over. Classes will end after fifth period today due to the subway accident. I’ll have you introduce yourself when class resumes.” That was fine by him, he didn’t really like this place much to begin with. “Follow me.”  
They were walking down the hall to his homeroom classroom when she suddenly stopped and turned his way. “By the way, when you introduce yourself... Be serious about it even if you’re lying to the class, okay? Do **NOT**say anything unnecessary.” She turned and they continued on, he was going to say why his record was bullshit and no one was gonna stop him from doing so. He didn’t know who leaked his record to the school, but now people think he’s nuts, and he’d rather not have a full school year of hushed whispers behind his back, so he was rehearsing his greeting monologue on why his record was phony fucking horse shit, to hell with zombie lady’s warning. Two female students walked past him, and they stopped were he was standing with zombie teacher before, he could hear them saying something, and this is why he’d try to get the truth out.  
  
-

_ Take your Time _

_ \- _

“Being super late on his first day? He really is insane...” This is exactly why Akira Kurusu hates rumors, he’s not gonna tell them about the castle bullshittery, but he’s at least gonna try and get across the gist of his situation and hopefully word gets around and that helps the situation, or backfires completely, honestly he had nothing to lose: the best part about having nothing, is that you have nothing to lose.

“Settle down.” It was now or never for Akira Kurusu, prisoner of fate. “...Well, I’d like to introduce a new transfer student: Akira Kurusu. Today we...” She was going to say something stupid wasn’t she? “Had him attend in the afternoon on because he wasn’t feeling well.” The lie wasn’t bad, but she could do better. “All right, please say something to the class.”

It was now or it was never, his heart was a furnace, hot as hell, but he wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity to help clear his name. "My name is Akira Kurusu,” He leaned back, arms crossed, one foot planted on the wall. “and I’d like to clear some misconceptions before we start the lesson. No, I’m not going to attack anyone, I was put on false charges and sent out here to be ridiculed by people who don’t know any better. The man I allegedly assaulted never had his name show up in the reports, because he had the police and the media cover up the incident.”  
The teacher was giving him a nasty look and some students were already filming him giving his side of the story, others were deadly quiet or whispering, he continued, thankful the teacher just gave up on him and let him do his thing.  
“I’ll give you all the rundown of what I did, so it’s a late Friday evening, and I just finished some late studying at the library in my rural hometown. I’m taking a shortcut through the suburbs back to my house and I hear what seems to be a bedlam ahead of me, naturally I go see what’s going on and I hear a man and woman arguing. The man sounded aggressive in his tone, saying things like “How dare you cross me?” or “Just get in the car!” So I hurried over to the scene, the man was forcefully pushing himself on the woman, who clearly was in danger. He kept on telling her to just get in the car parked nearby, but she threatened to call the police and he only laughed, he said, “The police are my bitches, they aren’t gonna take you seriously!” And she seemed to believe him. Suddenly sirens start blaring in the distance and he curses, he tells her to get in the car one more time before he turns around toward me, goes on about how this, “Ain’t a show, get lost, kid.” He’s clearly drunk, and turns around trying to pick the woman up and shove her in the car.” Everyone is having a field day with the new scoop, many were filming and a platinum blonde was listening intently in the back, something seemed familiar about her but he needed to keep going all the way to the end before people started making shit up. “So I go in and try to wrap my arms around his torso and pull him away from her, he forcefully hits me in the face with his elbow, I’m on the ground with a clear bruise forming on my forehead and a bloody nose, and I hear the woman shriek at something, I look up and see the man face down, his head looked like it hit the curb, from what I know even if you were drunk out of your mind it would be hard to fall like that and conveniently hurt yourself in such a way, so he gets back up and holds his head, and says: “Damn brat! I’ll sue!” And my brain is just on the cusp of shutting down, but I hear him talking to the woman saying that if she doesn’t tell the cops that: “This kid suddenly attacked this man” and that, “she knew what would happen to her if she didn't”  
The cops show up, they seem annoyed but when they see the man they get all polite and say “Oh, it’s you sir!” By now I know this guy wasn’t lying when he said the police were his bitches, and I try telling them what actually happened. But they’re handcuffing me and putting me in the car without a second word after the woman told them what the man told her to tell them, the news spreads in a day and the entire town knows about how, “Akira is a criminal” Then my family disowns me, I’m taken to court and given the option to go to juvenile hall or go for a one year probation to Tokyo. I go on probation, am sent here to this school, some _asshat_ in the faculty decides to leak my fake record, and now everyone thinks I’m a hardened criminal, and that I’m a nut job when I’m just the average kid that blends in. That just so happened to be in the: Wrong place. At the wrong time. With the wrong people. ...In a nutshell, I didn’t do shit. Thank you for listening to my P.S.A., I hope we can do our best today, everyone.” He joked right at the end, a fake smile on his face, the entire class was shell shocked at the revelation.

Kawakami only sighed now that the five minute monologue was over and she could continue class. “I thought I told you to _not_ say anything unnecessary, Kurusu-kun.” She openly stated in disdain at the likes of getting this exact idiot in her class, and said idiot pulling a stunt like that. He only smiled (un)apologetically. “I’ve only been here for not even a day and people are already cooking up amazingly ignorant rumors about me and how I’m “completely off my knocker”, and the reason I was late is because I needed to rehearse my speech, actually.” He lied, but it did make a little bit of sense considering just how long it was, and how he didn’t fumble almost like he wasn’t being filmed by an entire classroom.

Hushed whispers still circulated the classroom, and Kawakami still had a lesson to teach. “Alright! Alright! Calm down, class is now in session! Kurusu can sit... There, the one that’s open.” She gestured to the corner seat, he gladly got off the wall and strolled over to his seat and sat down, murmurs and chatter plagued the classroom still, likely processing the new information and reevaluating their previous horse shit rumors and updating the facts. The girl in front of him just so happened to be the same one he recognized when he was up there, then it hit him that this was Takamaki back at the castle, but the real one. She actually turned around from her seat incredulously and asked him if all that was true, he simply nodded and she turned back around. That kid had guts, going out of his way to dispel rumors, if only she had his courage, or even _had_ the ability to stand up against _him._

“Oh, right...! The volleyball rally’s in two days... Everyone’s just changed classes, so make sure you can use that time to get to know each other.” The teacher announced, she punctually stopped the chattering. “Class is still in session! Now, who’s on duty today?” A student with blue hair rose from his seat, he was noticeably bruised and beaten, very much so.

“Everyone, please rise...”  
  
-

Take your Time  
  
-  
  
Akira walked out of the classroom, feeling even better now that he got the truth out, now he would just have to wait and see if the students believed him. He was about to turn the corner downstairs when his vision faltered, he could have sworn he saw an ornate hallway, he remembered the castle from earlier today, and a searing headache scoured his skull.

“Hm? What’s wrong?” It was Ms. Kawakami, she was just leaving the classroom, she wouldn’t believe the castle bullshit, so he just lied and said he was tired, classes had ended early and he didn’t wanna be in this prison of a school any longer, but she didn’t believe him yet again. The teacher sighed for the millionth time. “Ugh... are you sure you’re okay?” Her expression turned apprehensive, “Also... it seems that people somehow were already talking about you, before you decided to ignore my warning and waste class time. Well, I’m not the one that told them about your... situation...” She trailed off looking down the hallway away from him. “I can’t even catch a break... Why do I have to deal with this?” She locked eyes with him again. “You should head straight home without stopping by anywhere. Sakura-san sounded pretty angry. Oh, and about Sakamoto-kun, don’t get involved—“ The person in question walked up to the two of them, Kawakami only sighed yet again. “Speak of the devil... What do you want? I heard the police caught you cutting classes with Yoshizawa-san today.”

“Ugh...” Ryuji emphasized. “_It was nothin’_.”

The teacher put her hand on her hip, “And you haven’t dyed your hair back to black either...”

“Sorry ‘bout that.” Ryuji (not really) apologized. He walked over to Akira, and whispered in his ear. “...I’ll be waitin’ on the rooftop.” And fled the scene.

Kawakami did her trademark thing. “See? That’s why I don’t want you getting involved. Understood?” She walked off wordlessly, and left Akira to his own devices.  
He was about to head up to the rooftop when Eggman and Kamoshida came up the nearby flight of stairs, they didn’t seem to notice him however.

“Why did you allow a student like him to transfer here? He’s already begun associating with Sakamoto. And he was found with Kasumi-san when he and Sakamoto showed up at lunchtime. She’s in danger of being influenced or even attacked, the poor girl...” Akira seethed at the statement, all his shadow wanted to do was get in her pants and throw her in with the rest of his collection. He was tempted to go up right now and attack him just out of spite.

Kamoshita continued his bullshittery. “A student with a criminal record, and the culprit of an assault case. At this rate it’ll be pointless how much I contribute to this school.”

Eggman dismissed his claims. “Now, don’t be like that... This school counts on you Kamoshida-kun. You are our star. Still... a steady build-up is necessary for such brilliance as well.”

“...Your troubles never seem to end, do they, Principal Kobayakawa? All right, I understand. I’ll continue to do the best to answer your expectations of me.” At that the principal walked off, and Kamoshida walked up to the third floor.  
_‘Sakamoto seems eager to talk about something... I should meet him on the rooftop...’  
_Akira ascended the stairs up past the third floor and found Sakamoto leaning against the wall near the door to the roof. He wordlessly nodded and proceeded to turn toward the door to open it, it had an off-limits sign, but the door was unlocked. They went out and found a certain someone looking off into the distance, sitting at one of the chairs near a cluster of old desks, it was Kasumi. Ryuji was gonna call her up here but he couldn’t find her on the third floor, he assumed she just left early and went back down to find Akira in hopes that he wasn’t also gone, it was a lucky turn of fate, all in all. She didn’t hear the door open even though it was quite old and creaky, she looked to be off in dream land. Ryuji gave Akira a mischievous look and slowly tip toed towards her in an attempt to lighten the mood.

She called out his name the second the first foot hit the ground. “I know you’re there Sakamoto. In fact I was waiting for you here.” Ryuji just walked up and pulled a seat from the desk and he gestured for Akira to get one, he did.  
  
-  
  
Take your Time  
  
-  
  
“Sorry for callin’ you up here like this. I bet Kawakami told you shit like, “Don’t get involved with him.”, huh?”

Akira pinched the bridge of his nose, “She told me you’re nothin’ but trouble.”

The girl chimed in sarcastically, “Wonder why...”

“I’d say somethin’ witty, but I wanna live to be older than sixteen, you and me are pretty much in the same boat, right, Akira?” The person in question nodded. “I heard you got a criminal record, everyone is—well, _was, _talking about how you’re apparently a total nut job, but now all their talking about is how bad you were framed. And all you see on the school’s social media community is the same video of you goin’ on about how that’s bullshit, but from slightly different angles. It’s blowin’ up right now man...”

“I suppose that is my fault for opening my mouth, but I’d rather have rumors about how bad I got shit on by the system, than how I carry weapons and have killed people before.”

...Akira-san.” Kasumi spoke, the two turned to her attention. “This morning, when you said you were a transfer student, I thought that you were... rather passive for a hardened criminal. It appears my judgment was right, I feel terrible for your situation. I have had a similar experience with... Keeping up my public image of a member of my family...” The two were confused at this. “You see, my family has a prestigious legacy of model students, and incomparable dancers, many of them went to Olympic levels in their skill. I just recently transferred here because of it’s history with my family, rather than another more up to date school, I tried to protest but my parents practically forced me to come here.”

“Man,” Ryuji mused. “can’t imagine having to keep up to such a high regard all the time”

She continued on in her plight leaning forward in her chair, fake happiness and charm utterly gone. “My father was a powerful man, but he also had powerful enemies, the hospital said that the stress got to him and he kicked the bucket, but I doubt it.” Akira was mostly silent at this revelation. “That was... a year ago now, my mother is my only real family left, and she’s fallen in a deep depression, she’s almost never home, always working with the company affairs. I have to look after myself most of the time. All my other 'family' are cutthroat businessmen, who are only it in for the money and prestige. The pressure to live up to my father’s legacy is horrible, and not to mention... I’m really the only competent member of the gymnastics team...”

Ryuji was visibly pissed. “And let me guess, it’s run by Kamoshida, and he ain’t leavin’ you alone?” He hit the nail on the head and she slowly nodded, so not only did Kamoshida fuck over Ryuji’s dream, he’s in the process of fucking Kasumi’s dream, or her, or most likely both. The crimeboy seethed in rage yet again, remembering the feeling of outrage at Kamoshida’s earlier words, the cat Morgana had given them the rundown on things in that castle, he was wondering if they could go back there.

Ryuji seemed to have read his thoughts. “...So, I know I’m not the only one who was seein’ that shit, right?!” Ryuji raved.

Kasumi confirmed. “Yes, there was three of us in that castle and we all remember it, so...?”

“It wasn’t a dream, I can tell you,” Akira confirmed. “that power, I can still feel it... My Persona.” Ryuji stopped leaning his chair back and leaned forward, hands clasped together. “I can still feel it too, Akira, but it doesn’t scare me, it actually feels kinda nice... But anyway, even if that castle thing was just a dream, you saved us both from Kamoshida. So, yeah... Thanks, Akira.”

Akira downplayed it. “It was nothing.”

But Kasumi insisted. “No, you really did save us, we owe you our lives Ak—Kurusu-san.”

“Akira is fine, Kasumi.” He smiled genuinely, he found the girl’s genuinely flustered demeanor adorable, but he wouldn’t say it, he’d die a slow death if he did.

“Okay, K-Akira-san...!”

He pushed his luck. “No honorifics, Kasumi” Her entire face was red at this point, he couldn’t tell her skin from her eyes or her hair. She didn’t reply, it was good enough though, he’d lay off her and get back to the castle talk.

Ryuji read his mind again. “But man, that Kamoshida we saw there... You 'prolly don’t know about it, but there are some pretty nasty rumors about ‘im.”

“The ripped mophead?” Akira deadpanned.

“Yeah, that asshole. Rumors say that he’s abusin’ the volleyball team. No one says anything because he’s some medalist who took the volleyball team to nationals. The way Kamoshida was actin’ as the king of that castle felt crazy real ‘cause of that...”

Akira read his expression like a book, but Kasumi beat him to it. “You want to try and head back to that castle...”

Ryuji only nodded, then looked at the time, and got up from his chair. “I gotta run, that’s all I wanted to talk about. But it might be convenient if we could get together easily, if we ever wanna try goin’ back to that castle, so, why don’t we exchange contact info...?”  
Akira didn’t know if he was just trying to get Kasumi’s number, or he was serious about the castle thing, but he agreed, and Kasumi did the same.

“Y’know, we might be pretty similar. I feel like we’re gonna get right along as “troublemakers.” I’ll catch you later, Akira!” And then there were two. The two made their way down to the exit while making small talk, and bid each other good evening.  
It was getting late, and Boss was gonna kill him if he came back any later than five, so he was gone, if he hurried he might be alive tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy, this one was a trip. Yeah I realized I forgot about Ryuji having a gun, but it'd be funnier if Kasumi reminded him about the gun next chapter, when they go back to the castle.


	3. The Great Sinner of Lust Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somehow this story isn't dead, imagine that, huh?  
Much shorter than the others, but it's progress.

He returned to Leblanc much faster than anticipated. Boss didn’t kick him right out for showing up after five, like he had threatened to, Sojiro was much kinder than he seemed to want to let on. Akira had gotten fed yet again after closing. He cleaned up and drifted back into a restless sleep, after recounting all the events of the past couple of days, ruin? rehabilitation? What could it all mean?  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time_  
  
-  
  
Akira awoke sharply to the familiar feeling of a stone bed, and a chill down his spine.

“The inmate has returned!” A childlike voice announced.

He snapped up at that, and found himself back in the blue bathroom stall of a jail cell. He could faintly hear a form of opera music coming from the centre of the room, he looked up to the man known as Igor.

“Trickster,” unnatural grin expanding even more. “you seem to have an aptitude for standing against ruin, as you’ve already collected three who would stand against the doom that awaits man, hand in hand..." the man in question clasped palms together. "I give you my esteem. You’re already taking leaps and bounds in your... rehabilitation.”

The noisy girl with the bun turned to him, and snickered, “You’re being complimented by _our _master, inmate! Cry your tears of joy!”

Akira was sick of this Halloween child already. “Yeah, okay, ‘infant jailor’.”

Igor almost imperceptibly suppressed a chuckle, and the twin warden’s expressions morphed from shock, to outrage, to malice. Igor prevented them from retaliating though. “You are a quite unique guest, Trickster, none before you would have defied their attendants in such a... comical manner.”

Akira gave him a blank look.

“Under normal circumstances, you would be punished like any other, but I find your banter quite... entertaining. Although there is little time for comedies; we must discuss how we will be assisting you in your upcoming stand against ruin.”

Akira was resigned at this point, he just wanted this weird recurring dream to be over. But he would humour the man who had invaded his dreams. “What ruin?”

“The inevitable ruin that fast approaches mankind, you are he who will stand against the abyss of distortion: the Trickster.”

It might be easier to take this all in stride, all this nonsense might start making sense if Akira just detached all his preconceived notions of reality, and just took everything at face value.

“You have awakened to your power, correct? So have the others you have collected, I presume you don’t know anything about the true nature of your power compared to theirs?

Akira nodded blankly, sponging up as much of his speech as possible.

“You will come to it, in time, it fast approaches, and we will help you with the nurturing of such power. But for now, the Velvet Room residents will wait for your next encounter with fate. The night is waning... it is almost time...” Igor looked through him, manic grin more unnerving than ever before. “Come to slowly understand this place and your allies, until we meet again, Trickster.”

An ear splitting alarm suddenly took over the opera music. The wardens turned to him, “Time’s up, inmate! Hurry up and go back to sleep!" He was preparing another witty comment until his consciousness began to fade yet again, drifting back into his physical self in the real world.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time  
  
_-  
  
The probationer woke up better rested than he had ever felt, he felt like he could take on a giraffe with his bare hands then get in a fight with two bears at once right after, and still come out on top. As nice as his newfound energy was, he needed to head back to the prison complex, and not be half a day late with Ryuji spouting bullshit about a castle to the cops. He practically threw on his uniform and he still looked pretty good, for not combing his bird nest of hair on his head, Sojiro didn’t diss him for it, so it looked fine he presumed. He ate then sped out the door with an umbrella at Boss’ request: it was raining again today, this time he wouldn’t take a wrong turn and end up in his own special little plane of hell, with some strangers which ended up as the few people who saw through his label as a 'hardened criminal'.  
  
-  
  
Take your Time  
  
-  
  
He took the same path they took to end up at weird demon castle street, and only the school stood before him, he ignored the obvious issue and just headed inside, he’d rather muck around and get killed by demons after school.  
The whispers once he got inside weren’t nearly as hostile, this time they were rather pitiful of him, he supposed it was better than open fear and scorn by nobodies who didn’t know shit, besides the falsehoods spread by some asshole who leaked his record before he even showed up for the first time. He sat down in his class and the Takamaki girl gave him a surprisingly real smile, the whispers were there but he didn’t care, at least he got something out to the school about the absolute bullshit that is his record.  
Class started monotonously, and there was this old fart he couldn’t care for the name of this period, teaching them about something he couldn’t care less about likewise, he inevitably daydreamed, looking out the window to the morning sun shining over the humid April dew, for just a second, he could have sworn he saw caged bars instead of dusty windows, like his eyes were fucking with him for the hell of it. His head hurt all of a sudden, the mental relaxation vanished like smoke in the wind, and he could hear the teacher yell at him, he couldn’t make it out and he just dropped his head on the table, and he heard a clatter behind him. The students were whispering something about a ninja.  
_This was going to be a long day._  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time_  
  
-  
  
It was finally over, and all he wanted to do was to just get the hell out of this classroom, then boot it to Leblanc and hit the mat, Boss’ chores be damned. Of course, fate had other plans for him, soon as he navigated the crowd of human mass and got out the front entrance, he was about to jump down the flight of stairs over the students in front and run like a bat out of hell, when a familiar voice called out behind him, he reluctantly turned and found himself face to face with Sakamoto and Yoshizawa. Ryuji motioned to follow him but Akira slowly nodded dissent, Kasumi gave him what could only be described as a terrorizing neutral smile, eyes narrowing dangerously with only a hint of underlying malice. Normal people would be confused, but he had red alarms of impending ‘ruin’ coming sooner than he had thought, so he agreed, only so he wasn’t killed, or castrated, or immolated to the gymnastic gods, maybe all at once. They went down the stairs into the alley where they had arrived yesterday to the weird demon castle.

Ryuji started the conversation. “So, we decided that we’re gonna try and go back to that weird castle…”

Akira just gave a tired look between the two of them.

The girl continued for the blonde. “But we don’t know how we ended up there, much less how to get back. You seemed to know what’s going on, so we decided to find you.”

Akira sighed and pulled out his phone, and showed the two the creepy malware app that was installed on his phone without his knowledge, Ryuji grimaced at the red and black glitchy aura almost coming out of the phone, but Kasumi smiled at this and all but yoinked the phone out of his hand and started tapping at the screen. Akira gave her a dirty look, then Ryuji, just gave him an apologetic look that screamed, ‘girls…’ She started speaking out loud, she showed a screen, there were three options: Search, History, and Bookmarks, she clicked on bookmarks and found only one option, they leered over her shoulder. It read with three columns: ‘Suguru Kamoshida, Shujin Academy, Pervert Castle.’

Ryuji reached over her shoulder rudely and tapped it, and nothing seemed to happen for a good moment. “Guess we jus' gotta find another way-” A skull splitting headache stopped him and the others from doing anything, and static shifted around them, the scenery of the school turned into pulsating red waves, until the school was replaced by a castle. The sky turned a malicious purple, swirling clouds highlighted by searchlights probing the sky, it was a castle so where did they get searchlights?

“This is it, man... I gotta lay off the ginger… they never told me you could start hallucinating-” He got slapped in the back of the head by: guess who, and he started loudly complaining, she gave him another ‘curtained death sentence look’, and he quickly looked down and massaged his wound.

Akira didn’t like the sudden silence and started. “You would’ve snapped out of it when she walloped you, if it was an illusion, Ryuji.” Kasumi nearly imperceptibly smiled at that.

Ryuji opened his loud mouth again, “Yo, Akira, you seein' this?” The teen in question turned to him, confused, and Ryuji tried his hardest to gesture toward Kasumi without her catching on, she somehow didn’t, or simply acted like she didn’t know what he was referring to.  
Akira was confused, until he looked down. '_Holy fuck, when did she get in that thing, and why are her legs... so fucking nice in it?'_

Ryuji gave him the look boys give each other when they find ‘the one’, and Akira quickly derailed the wordless conversation. Before Kasumi asked what they were doing, or just straight up castrated them. “Not to be rude, but we have a castle to investigate, gang.” Kasumi simply nodded at him and jaunted over the drawbridge, maybe a tad bit too dramatically. Ryuji sulked, her overcoat's triple coattails blocking what he was trying to look for, Akira only coughed accusingly and Ryuji knocked off, they caught up to her.  
  
End Chapter


	4. The Great Sinner of Lust Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah shit, here we go again.

  
  
-  
  
Besides Ryuji’s antics, the gang had a castle to break into, for whatever reason they wanted to go back into the place that almost got them killed, Akira would never know, but at least all of them could fight off the demons.

They made it to the front doors, but Ryuji started, “We made it back... That means all the shit that went down yesterday was for real too...” Ryuji kicked the ground, “But these clothes...” Akira didn’t know who he was talking to, either him or subtly trying to get back at Kasumi’s getup earlier, but Ryuji was walking on thin ice already. “That shit happened last time we were here too, right? What’s with that outfit...?”

Akira couldn’t resist, “You jelly?”

“I-I ain’t jealous...”

Kasumi deadpanned. “Not as bad as yours, Sakamoto.”

Ryuji was starting to get in another fight, “What was that...?! Have you even noticed _what_ you're wearing?!”

She didn’t actually seem to know that her clothes changed just like theirs, and looked down at her hands to find red gloves. And, well, unorthodox clothes for a ‘castle raider’, “W-...What’s with this...?!” She was mortified.

Akira wanted to live a bit longer before she started getting mad, and attacked them for being dirty perverts. “You kind of look like me, in that...”

Ryuji started “””analyzing””” her clothes, and compared hers to Akira’s. “Yeah, you two look like Halloween siblings...”

Even Akira was embarrassed at that, he put his palm to his mouth to hide his face and grumbled. Kasumi was just giving Ryuji a blank look, no apparent malice in her eyes, she went to try and say something, arms folded, ‘neutral death look’ starting up, but a new voice cut them off.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Heart_  
  
-  
  
“Hey...!” It was the monster cat from yesterday peeking around the corner, “Stop making a commotion.”

Ryuji was nonplussed, “Oh... you...”

Morgana sighed at that, “Thanks for ditching me earlier, and then coming right back to the place you wanted to escape from so badly. The shadows started acting up, so I came out here to see what the issue was... To think you guys would come back to the entrance when you barely made it out before.”

Ryuji ignored the cat’s monologue. “What is this place? ...Is it the school?”

“That’s right.”

“But it’s a castle...!”

Kasumi sighed, long since forgotten the fiasco about her weird getup. “Why else would the sign say “Shujin Academy”?”

Morgana nodded approvingly. “That’s right, this castle _is _the school.”

Ryuji was dumbfounded.

“...But only to this castle’s ruler.”

“The castle’s ruler...?” Ryuji scratched the back of his head.

The cat put it’s stubby hands on it’s 'hips'. “I think you called him Kamoshida? It’s how his distorted heart views the school.”

Ryuji mused, “Kamoshida... Distorted...? Oh yeah, what was with all this Persona shit anyway?”

Morgana bragged, “I shouldn’t have expected a moron to get it... Persona’s are the strength of one’s heart, when one, or in Blondie’s and Redhead’s cases, two people defy a palace’s ruler, they awaken to their rebellious spirit; their Persona.”

Kasumi and Akira knew that Ryuji was just going to put them back at square one and say that it didn’t make sense, so they, or rather her, explained it for him. “Basically, _Sakamoto_, your Persona is your heart, as a pirate man who will fight with or for you, and Akira’s is a big red man with a top hat. In a nutshell, it’s kind of like those superhero cartoons where they summon ghosts to fight for themselves.”

Akira was surprised, she kinda actually hit the nail on the head. Ryuji seemed like he got it, with her more “geared toward Ryuji” explanation. Morgana or Ryuji were about to comment when a shrill scream reverberated throughout the castle walls, out into the courtyard.

Everyone was unnerved, and Ryuji cried. “What was that...?!”

“It must be the slaves captive here.” Ryuji shot out his famous catchphrase. Another scream came and went. Kasumi inched toward Akira, but no one seemed to notice.

“Oh shit... It’s for real! We saw other guys held captive here yesterday... I’m pretty sure they’re from our school.”

Morgana turned toward the doors and started explaining. “Most likely on Kamoshida’s orders. It’s nothing out of the ordinary; it’s like this every day here. What’s more, is that you three escaped yesterday, and he lost a potential mistress.” Kasumi cringed at that statement, Morgana punctuated. “He must have lost his temper quite a bit...”

Ryuji cursed, “That son of a bitch...!

Morgana called Ryuji by his name in confusion, “Ryuji...?”

He cursed yet again, “...This is bullshit!” He ran up and charged the door, it didn’t budge, but it made quite a loud noise. Ryuji shouted at the top of his lungs, _**“YOU HEAR ME, KAMOSHIDA!?”**_

Morgana was resigned, “Doing that isn’t gonna open it, you know... Still, it seems you have your reasons.”

Ryuji turned away from the door and addressed Morgana, “Hey, Monamona!”

Kasumi huffed, Akira was relinquished, Morgana admonished. _“It’s __**Morgana!**__”_

Ryuji ignored the party’s reaction. “Do you know where those voices are comin’ from...?”

‘Monamona’ crossed his arms, “You want me to take you to them?” He looked over them, the three could fight. He supposed that he could somehow rope them in to his master plan if he did what they wanted for a while, “I guess I could take you there, but I’ll be teaching you the basics of Phantom Thievery as we go. I can’t let all this talent in front of me to go to waste.”

The three looked each other over, they all agreed. Akira took charge, “Let’s go, then.”

Morgana jumped up excitedly, “It’s settled then!” Ryuji said his catchphrase again, Kasumi nodded, Morgana led the charge. “Alrighty then! Let’s get this done, follow me.”  
  
-  
  
_Take your Heart_  
  
-  
  
“This is our infiltration point.” The cat pointed to a weird window.

“Can’t we just go in the way we got out last time...?”

Kasumi facepalmed, Akira did the same. Morgana berated Ryuji. “Ugh... Not barging through the front door is one of the basics of _Phantom Thievery.”_

“How’re we supposed to know about this stuff...?”

Morgana trail blazed up onto the unsecured window. “Hmph, you amateur! Follow me! I’ll teach you guys as we go!” He ran down into the stone vent, leaving the three to presumably follow.

Ryuji apologized, “So, uh... sorry for draggin’ you guys into all this shit...” He paused for just a moment, before his expression hardened under his metal skull mask, “But I can’t just forgive that bastard after what he did to me and the track team...!”

“I bumped into him again by chance,” Kasumi explained, no fake apologetic smile or frown marring her face. “we decided to try and find you, so we could explore this place more thoroughly with your help.”

“Really though, thanks for comin’ along. I owe you big time for this!”

Akira hurried the group along, before the cat ended up captured again without their help, or awareness. “We should get going, before he gets captured again.” They wordlessly nodded and Akira dragged Ryuji through the vent first, and followed him. Kasumi was grateful Akira had deprived her of his buffoonery.  
  
_End Chapter_


	5. The Great Sinner of Lust Part IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in one day and 400 views, 12 kudos.
> 
> Could not thank you guys enough.

-  
  
  
They made it through the vent into a small room with a few musty bookshelves and old wooden tables and chairs, the only door was open just a crack.

“Man... this place is as creepy as always.” Ryuji deadpanned.

“Imagine that, Sakamoto, a creepy old castle.” Kasumi stated passive-aggressively. Yet another fight was starting up and Akira was just sick of it, to the point where he’d just not interfere and let them get out their frustrations out on each other.

Morgana did his work for him though. “Alright, break it up you two, I’ll be teaching you as we go, so stay close and be quiet!” He stopped for just a second before continuing his reprimanding, “And make sure to do _exactly_ as I say, all right?” Morgana suddenly jumped at something. “Oh! I almost forgot...!”

“Forgot what? Kasumi and Ryuji asked, while Akira simply stayed silent.

“About code names! There is no telling what effect shouting our real names might have on the palace, it’s just a precaution!”

Ryuji huffed. “Whadda ya gettin’ at?"

“What I’m getting at, is that we need code names. What kind of _stupid _Phantom Thief would use their real name?! I’m not down for that!”

Akira spoke up, hands pocketed in the usual fashion, “What names do you propose?”

Morgana crossed his arms dramatically, “I’ve got the perfect code names for you two boys!” Kasumi seemed a bit put off, but she didn’t protest. “Frizzy hair here is ‘The Joker’ or just Joker for short!”

Ryuji was confused yet again, “Why that name?”

Morgana bragged, “Because he’s our trump card when it comes to fighting strength!”

Akira quickly came up with a witty comment, “That’s embarrassing...” The three were confused at this, then he continued. “For you, Ryuji.” Morgana didn’t get it for just a moment while the others were still completely lost on the joke from the Joker.

Morgana explained the joke, “It’s because Ryuji is supposed to be strong, and I said that Joker was the trump card in fighting strength.” Kasumi almost giggled at his misfortune while Ryuji just gave the two an unimpressed look, and asked what the cat had in mind for his nickname.

“Let’s see, you can be... ‘The Thug’”

Ryuji stomped his foot near the cat, “Argh! I can choose it myself, you monster cat!” Morgana didn’t respond. “So when it comes to me,” Ryuji grinned almost mischievously, “it’s gotta be the mask, so it’s gotta be ‘Boner’—“ He got slapped right in the mouth by Kasumi, she gave him a disgusted look. Ryuji quickly corrected the name, “It’s g-gotta be ‘Skull’ right!?” He shielded his face from further assault, it didn’t come. Akira looked among them, no one seemed to disagree, so he nodded. “Alright! I’m Skull!” Ryuji chanted childishly.

Morgana looked to Kasumi, “What about this one...?” Kasumi shrugged.

Skull started and made sure to shield his face this time. “How about, ‘Jester’, because she looks like Joker...?”

Morgana sighed dramatically, “It would be hard to differentiate those names especially with your unclear speech, Skull.”

Skull was about to start another fight with the cat when the Joker spoke up, “How about ‘The Countess’?” The cat and the vulgar boy looked over to the person in question and she nodded enthusiastically.

“Then you’re Countess,” Morgana started tapping his stubby foot on the ground, “and now all we need is one for me.” The whole group looked stumped, Joker leaned over to Countess and whispered something.

She smiled. “How about ‘Mona’? Like what Ryuji called you?”

“Well, if you guys think it’s easier to call me that, then I guess I can’t complain... So in order, we are Joker, Mona, Skull, and Countess!”

The group gave a little cheer, not so loud as to alert the guards. Mona nodded, then turned around and comically spun his feet in a cloud of dust, and opened the door ahead, and motioned for them to follow. The party tailed the newly nicknamed Joker, who had a smug smirk upon his face, barely visible due to the darkness and the mask.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Heart_  
  
-  
  
They made their way out into a familiar room, the foyer room with the ugly painting of Kamoshida at attention. The room was void of anybody else besides them.

“Hey...” Skull asked, “this is where we came in from the front door, and then we fought that big knight, right?” The room suddenly faded into a familiar room to all but Mona. Skull was flabbergasted, “What the...!? I was just seein’ double or some shit...! Was that Shujin?!”

“I told you, this castle _is _the school, but regardless, we don’t have time to be sitting around: there’s no telling when the guards will come up out of the floorboards.” Mona started running to the door that led to the dungeon, “Come on, this way!”

They quickly ended up at the bottom of the spiral staircase, and to an opened barred door with a guard patrolling the pathway past it, there was no other way to proceed without getting in a fight.

Mona commanded, “Oh well, guess I’ll just teach you all the basics of battle then, you’re gonna always want to have the element of surprise, attack them from behind as much as possible. You’ll need to rip off those blue masks to break the control the palace ruler has over them. If you succeed, then the enemy will be wide open for an ambush from all of us.”

Skull affirmed, “All right! So we just gotta ambush ‘em and go for the first strike whenever we can...!” Countess plainly nodded, and Mona signaled for Joker to take charge. The guard’s back was turned, at that Joker practically flew through the door and jumped up onto the guard’s shoulders, hand gripping the edge of the mask and forcefully tearing it off, a loud screeching sound reverberated throughout the dungeon, Joker quickly hopped off the trembling guard, and the team had the thing surrounded before it could even reveal it’s true form: a single jack’o lantern.

-

“Now’s our chance to strike! Go!” Mona commanded, and Joker dashed in and practically danced over the enemy with graceful swipes of his curved dagger.

Countess quickly followed up and slashed the enemy through, then back through the very same wound, then proceeded to spin a high roundhouse kick then use said momentum to deliver a powerful slash across it’s face.

Skull basically jumped on the enemy and did a flying kick off them, then winded up with his bent pipe, then proceeded to wallop it square in the face.

Mona did a flip and summoned Zorro who quickly drew a ‘Z’ shape and summoned powerful winds to dice the enemy, they evaporated on contact, the battle was over with no injuries at all.

Morgana praised, “Good work, team!”

Joker walked with his teammates doing their little fanfare, rubbed the back of his neck bashfully, then motioned for them to follow him with his hand. He broke into a run, his teammates sans Mona running right behind him in circles, Mona watched them and sighed.

  
-

_End Chapter_


	6. The Great Sinner of Lust Part V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three updates in a day deadass

The team eventually broke out of the circle running and started laughing hysterically. Mona just ignored them with his arms crossed and just walked on to the drawbridge without them, the team quickly followed. They made it back to the area where Kasumi found the few yen coins on the ground previously.

“Heh, heh...” Skull ceased the giggling, “Why ain’t anyone here...?” He walked up to the cells, there was no longer any student prisoners captive in them, it appears they may have been relocated further down. “Dammit, they were here before! Where’d they go!?”

“Quiet down...!” Mona reprimanded Ryuji for probably the millionth time so far.

“Oh yeah... there were more of ‘em further down, weren’t there?” He started walking further in, he disappeared down the corner but quickly came back up to the party, “Shit...! I heard footsteps, lots of ‘em down there...!”

Mona contemplated. “It would be a problem if they discovered us now...” He turned over to a door nearby, “Let’s head into this room, they shouldn’t be able to find us in here if we hide. Then we can wait it out until they leave.” The group followed him in wordlessly.  
They found themselves in a musty old room with nothing but a creepy purple-yellow candle upon the dusty wooden table with ghetto chairs lined around it, some had missing legs or were fallen over, shelves with very few moldy books on them lined the perimeter.

Morgana jumped up on to the table, it violently creaked in protest, “The Shadows probably won’t come in here.”

“*gasp* How can you tell...?”

“There’s a lack of distortion here, the palace owner’s control over this area in the real world must be weak.” The room promptly faded into what appeared to be a Shujin classroom with all the desks hoarded into the center.

Kasumi was mesmerized, “Ah... is this a classroom, Mona?”

“That’s right, this place is an alternate reality that the ruler’s heart projects.”

“_This _is Kamoshida’s reality...?” Ryuji scowled, “This shit makes no fuckin’ sense at all!”

“One could say,” Morgana said, “that it’s a world where the ruler’s distorted desires take on a physical form... I call such a place, a “Palace”.”

“A Palace...?”

“This is happening because the ruler—Kamoshida, believes that this school—Shujin Academy, is his very own castle.”

Ryuji’s expression morphed to contempt, “So this shit is all here, just because he thought of it that way...!?” His expression changed to a sneer, “Hahaha... That son of a bitch...!”

“You must really hate this Kamoshida guy...”

Ryuji turned, his voice a tad shaky, “_Hate_, doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel. _Everything, _is that asshole’s fault!”

“I don’t know what happened between you two,” Morgana glanced at Kasumi, who was still ogling the distorted scenery, “but don’t let your emotions get the better of you, I don’t need you getting reckless because he taunted you.”

Ryuji didn’t react to that.

“You guys are curious about your outfits, aren’t you?” Ryuji subtly gestured to Kasumi again.

“Say something, I _dare _you.” He promptly stopped before he wound up dead in the river after she strangled him <strike>_with _</strike><strike>_her thick, juicy, glorious thighs_</strike>—back to the story at hand people.

“_ANYWAYS, _your clothes are also because of this world.” Morgana started his monologue, “Anything in a ruler’s palace distorts according to the whim of a palace ruler. A school like this can turn into a castle, after all. In order to prevent your very bodies and minds from becoming distorted, one must possess a very powerful will of rebellion. Your appearances are reflected by that, it’s the image of a rebel your very soul holds within itself.”

Ryuji kicked the ground, “_How_, do you even _know_ all this shit!? I’m more confused about _you_ rather than her—_our _clothes! What the hell even _are_ you anyway!?”

“I’m a human—an honest-to-god human!”

“No, you’re obviously more like a cat!”

“This is... well, it’s because I lost my true form...” Ryuji wasn’t having it. “...I think.”

Ryuji _really _wasn’t having it now. “You think?”

“But I _do_ know how to regain my true form. The reason I snuck in here in the first place was for a preliminary investigation of those means. Well, I ended up getting caught though... Besides, I’ve been tortured by Kamoshida too! I’m gonna make him pay for sure!”

Ryuji was exasperated, Kasumi was simply entranced at the magical kitty. “What is this bullshit—a comic book? This is seriously crazy...”

“If we’re gonna keep going, then let’s hurry on, we still have some people to find down in the dungeon....”

**“** _ **AH SHIT...!** _ **”**

The group almost jumped at Ryuji’s sudden outburst. “What the hell is it!?” Kasumi seethed. Ryuji dug around in his bag, somehow he had it tucked away somewhere with him in his getup, he brought out, ...that goddamn model gun they had completely forgotten about until now.

“Oh yeah, I remember that. We didn’t even end up using it because it was fake, and we didn’t have time to remove the tag to make it look more threatening.” Kasumi explained to Morgana, and to an extent Akira.

The latter said, “But it’s still fake, Kasumi, it isn’t gonna do anything besides fool the guards for half a second, then it’ll be dead weight...” Akira took the gun because: “Ryuji’ll somehow shoot one of us even though it’s not real.”, Morgana suddenly seemed deep in thought for what reason they didn’t know, but he ushered them out of the safe room, after Ryuji added some more medicine to the item stash. The knights were long gone, and they could continue the search for the captive students.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Heart_  
  
-  
  
Well... by knights being long gone, meaning there was one just down the unventured stairs, it didn’t see them so they could formulate a plan before either sneaking past, or taking it out.

“Shoot, there’s a guard on duty here... We don’t really have a way to get past without being found out, and it’d be a pain to have to deal with him again on our way out. So I’d say we deal with him right now.”

“Agreed.” Joker saw no issues with Mona’s plan of attack, he was in charge of the group’s movement when Mona wasn’t dragging them somewhere, and he was thus in charge of ambushing the shadows. Joker gave the signal to the team and practically flew like a bat out of hell out of his cover, onto the guard’s shoulders, hands primed to seize the blue mask, he announced, “Show me your true form...!” and the mask flew off with black and red ooze splattering everywhere. The armor convulsed into a puddle and soaked up the pools of muck to form two weird naked flowers, the battle was on.  
  
-  
  
“All right! The first move is ours!” Mona bragged as the four surrounded the unfortunate assailants.

Joker summoned Arsene and lobbed an eiha which did great damage, but not a knockdown.

Mona assaulted the other with his funny sword, two hits were landed to okay effect.

Countess suddenly dashed then stopped on a dime inches away from the enemy, she gracefully front flipped right over them while splitting it’s head in two, a vicious helm splitter, she zipped over to the other enemy and elbowed them right in the back of the head.

It was open to an immediate punishing thwack to the face at the hands of Skull. The battle was over.

“Not bad, not bad at all, team! Also, if you start running in circles... I’m leaving you guys behind.”  
  
-  
  
“Okay...” Joker whispered, adjusting his gloves, the others didn’t hear him or didn’t respond. The way back to the cells they were held in were completely inaccessible as the drawbridge was closed from the other side, but Mona quickly found a barred door they hadn’t entered from last time. Joker pulled a switch next to it and the bars moved out of the way, they made their way into the dark passageway.

They found a very musty sewer-like area, there wasn’t anything stinky, much to Countess’ relief. Joker found a door soon, but it was unopenable, likely barred from the other side. They still had one path they hadn’t ventured, so they quietly skulked through the shadows behind Joker, checking corners ahead of him in case anything was coming. They eventually found two guards facing each other, they eavesdropped just behind the corner.

“Hey, have you seen anyone who looked like an intruder?”

“No, nobody yet...”

Morgana whispered, “Shoot, I had a feeling there’d be lots of enemies, but this is a bit much, we can’t ambush both of them at once...” The group was wracking their brains for a solution when Countess tapped Joker’s shoulder.

She whisper-shouted, “I could do it, I’ll take the closest one while you take the furthest one, Joker.”

“Nice plan, Countess, I’ve been underestimating you,” Mona praised, as she was the most acrobatic out of all of them, and least likely to miss and fuck it up. He continued, “But I think I have a better idea to employ.”

“Whadda ya thinkin’, Mona?”

“Use that gun from earlier, Joker.”

“But it ain’t real...”

“Just try it, if it doesn’t work then just stick to the normal plan from before. Now, you and Countess ambush them at the same time!” The team conceded, reluctantly however, they counted to three and they both zoomed out of the corner, and they were suddenly atop the guards. The masks flew off not a second too far apart, and both muck piles turned into a Pixie, and a naked flower. The group had them surrounded, however.  
  
-  
  
“Point it at a shadow and fire!” Joker obeyed, he wielded the gun with his left hand and pulled the trigger on the Pixie. To everyone’s sans Mona’s astonishment, it shot an actual bullet, evidenced by the loud bang and subsequent hole in the Pixie’s torso.

“How about that!?” Mona gloated, “Surprised? But be mindful of how much ammo you have left!” Joker nodded, then he realized he was still in a fight, then let loose on the trigger, shooting the weird flower this time, seven times in total, two shots missed, but the damage was done.

“All right!” Mona pulled a disproportionately large slingshot out of seemingly nowhere, “I’ll show you my weapon too!” Then he let loose on all the enemies with massive cannonball pellets, five in total, they were gone by the fourth one that was fired. The battle was over and Skull nor Countess didn’t even get a hit in, too nonplussed at the gun, and then the weird slingshot.  
  
-  
  
“For real!? Did that toy gun just shoot real fuckin’ bullets!?” Countess didn’t add to that vulgar sentence.

Mona turned over to the two, “This is a cognitive world. As long as our opponents see it as real, it becomes such. It’s a good thing it’s realistic-looking.”

Skull admitted, “...I don’t get it.”

A shit-eating grin presented itself on the cartoon cat’s face, “I wasn’t expecting someone with your brains to understand.” Skull was about to probably drop kick the cat, but the cat cut him off, “How about you, Joker? Did you get what I said?”

Joker nodded, “It’s simple logic.”

“Heh, just as I was expecting.” Mona rubbed his stubby hands together.

“Wait,” Skull fumed, “if it’s better havin’ somethin’ realistic, why do you got that slingshot!?” He made a fair point, the slingshot seemed to do more damage than the handgun did. "And it was just as strong as the goddamn gun! What about your whole cognitive whatever?!”

Morgana seemed to be backed into a corner on why the fuck his slingshot even works, much less hits as hard as a gun even though it doesn’t look even a little real. The cat tripped over his words, “W-Well, um... Fine, you can choose to understand it however you want.”

“You dodged the question,” Countess narrowed her eyes apprehensively, “_kitty_.”

Mona didn’t seem to be worried about the kitty part, but he somehow derailed the conversation. “Oh yeah, we should decide how to divvy up our roles in battle from here on out.”

Skull huffed, “He totally dodged our question...”

Mona ignored that, “As you can see, there are quite a lot of enemies. It’d be important to coordinate our moves as well to get the most out of our energy. I can keep on providing intel for us, but Joker will be in charge of most of everything else, including how we fight."

Countess put a hand on her hip, and leaned to the side of her outstretched arm, “’How we fight’...?”

“Basically, what we do in battle, Joker will tell us what to do or just let us do what we think is a good idea, we have a good team synergy, so let’s try to plan our moves to their fullest effect!” Mona started motioning to continue on, and the group gave up on the slingshot interrogation.  
  
_End Chapter_


	7. The Great Sinner of Lust Part VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 500 views, I still could not thank you guys enough.
> 
> Some weak stomached people may not like the, "graphic" all out attack thingamajig, but most fics don't really go into detail about them, so here it is.

-  
  
Stealthily, the group skulked throughout the shadows behind Mona. And they ambushed yet another shadow, “Who’re you...?!”

The mask flew off over the metal fence somewhere in the canals that zigzagged through the deepest recesses of Kamoshida’s wicked dungeon. The party swiftly retreated from their deceptions, and squarely had the three jack’o lanterns at their mercy.  
  
-  
  
“Hee ho?” Joker didn’t know what that meant, but he quickly hacked away at one of of pumpkin assassins, he suddenly felt up for more and directly after the handspring retreat, he brandished the Tkachev, blasting the foe square in the face, leaving pumpkin pulp everywhere, which quickly faded to black dust. Joker took the panicked state of the enemy to hex the other enemy with eiha, dealing great damage.

Skull broke into a dash then shoulder bashed the same enemy with his pauldron then clobbered it with the ‘pommel’ of the pipe, vanquishing the shadow.

Mona attacked in tandem with Countess, fifteen savage strikes were landed between the two of them, the screams of pained agony were terminated by a decisive blow from both Skull and Joker.

They yet again came out with no injuries and minimal use of magic, they found that occasionally the enemies would leave behind some money or rarely a weird item, like the vile-looking purple apple one just left behind. Skull was skeptical that it was safe, but Mona assured them that the ‘Devil Fruit’ was indeed not poisonous.  
  
-  
  
With all said and done, they continued, and found a lone guard blocking a single door, the only path they hadn’t done down yet.

“A guard...” Mona brooded, “I’m pretty sure that’s the only way further down, too.”

“Then let’s get ‘em,” Skull somehow didn’t scream at the top of his lungs. He might just have an aptitude for stealth, “I still got some steam to blow off.”

“I guess that’s our only choice,” The kitty burglar had an idea, by the looks of it, “but I think it’s time to show you guys a new trick. Joker, do the honors.”  
The man in question only saluted a bit comically, and everyone besides Mona had to hold back the snickers, Mona only huffed and crossed his arms flippantly, waiting for Joker to make his move. Joker barreled from the corner in a blur, then vaulted up off the ground onto the guard, it's mask was ejected from the visor. The group couldn't quite get behind it before it revealed it’s true colors: five whole Pixies.  
  
-  
  
“Listen,” Mona mandated, “there is a distinct... flow to battles. After all, seeing is... something?” Mona hurried up his exposition, before the enemy decided to stop standing around. “First, knock down all the enemies! Everything starts at that crucial step!”

Joker assented and summoned Arsene, it gathered energy in both of it’s hands, melded them together and withered all five of the enemies to the whole party’s astonishment.

“Whoa...! Looking cool Joker!” Mona egged him on, then quickly explained what to do next, “Alright! Now everyone, rush on in for an All-out Attack!”  
Everything went to hell after that sentence, it felt like something just carried Joker’s feet over to beat the living hell out of all the helpless Pixies. A red aura seemed to envelop the surroundings, the targets only being black on red, the others seemed to be beating them to death too, so they weren’t the only ones who lost all sense of self control, huh? The repeated sounds of battering, severing, slicing, and dicing polluted Joker’s ears, then everything seemed to go to a white light.  
He found himself planting his feet on the ground, he didn’t break his ankles somehow, he stood up and adjusted his gloves, a wicked smirk on his face, eyes suddenly a bright red for just a moment. If he could see behind him, all of the collective wounds were imprinted on the enemies at once, black blood practically spewed from their fallen carcasses, they died without as much of a sound besides blood being expelled from their throats.  
Suddenly, they were all standing around just in front of the door, no evidence of the knight from before in front of it, Joker waited until Skull and Countess started questioning the weird gang bang they just performed on those helpless shadows.

Mona only casually spoke. “Mm, that went really well! You guys are definitely fit for this job.”

Skull was unnerved by the part where he just kind of acted on his own. “Wh—What just happened!? Why did I start moving on my own?! Also, what was that super-move thing we just did?”

“I told you,” Mona restated. “it’s called an All-out Attack. If we use it, we might just be able to take them all out at once, or at least do a lot of damage.”

Countess was unsettled, to say the least. “But why did we just start moving on our own?!”

“Oh, that? That’s just, uh...” She gave him a horrifying look. He started hyperventilating trying to come up with some bullshit on why his voodoo gang bang shit just happened. His eyes were as wide as massive delicious pancakes. “I-It’s-It-I... It’s just a-uh... Cognition's,... Heh,... thingamajig, just, don’t worry about it, okay!?” He quickly bashed the door open and started flailing his arms in fear of the scary red lady, he hid plainly under the table in the room.  
Joker walked over and pulled him out from under the table by his tail, then plopped him onto the object of his concealment.

“H-Hey! This is animal abuse...!”

Skull almost snorted, “I thought you said you weren’t a cat?”

“I am _not a cat! _Say that again and you’ll regret it!” He comically puffed out his chest, trying to look tough, Skull just gave him a blank look.

Joker quickly derailed the conversation/interrogation/argument/'cognition’s' “Well, let’s not dwell on that, we still have witnesses to find. Right, Skull?”

“I guess we do, but man, that shit freaked me the fuck out. But I guess it was kinda cool, so, uh... Sorry, Mona.”

“...Hmph, you just don’t know an amazing trick when you see it!”

“What was that...!?”

“_Shut it,_ before you won’t be _able_ to shut it. Because you’ll have my heel down your neck by the time you two get along.” Countess gave the most eerie look in existence to the two children, they didn’t even complain, lest they choke on her boot.  
Joker just kicked the door down into the new room, the banner above it read: “Kamoshida’s Training Hall of Love” He looked back, and the group was just behind him, he walked through the dark hallway, and eventually came to another door, he opened it.  
  
_End Chapter_


	8. The Great Sinner of Lust Part VII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, shit really hits the fan here, extreme warning for depictions of vulgar, perverse violence and gore. Other than that I guess it's fine.

-  
  
(UPDATED AS OF THE RELEASE OF P5R IN JAPAN)  
Just a couple quick notes before we get started. There is going to be a lot of inconsistencies with the enemy shadow names and their weaknesses since I’m not going through literally every single one’s name and their specific elemental attributes. And the team’s Persona elemental affinities might be tweaked a little bit.  
I have copy and pasted Cendrillon's elementals and added a fire resistance on top of that.  
  
She has these moves in the base game of P5R:

  
Apt Pupil (AUTO) - Increases critical rate.  
Vajra Blast 14% HP - Medium Physical damage to all foes.  
Kougaon 12SP - Heavy Bless damage to one foe.  
Sword Dance 21% HP - Colossal Physical damage to one foe.  
Makougaon 22SP - Heavy Bless damage to all foes.  
Diarahan 18SP - Fully restores HP to one ally.  
Bless Amp (AUTO) - Buffs bless skill damage by 50% (Can stack with Bless Boost).  
Ali Dance (AUTO) - Doubles evasion against all types of attacks.  
Brave Step 16SP - Increases critical rate of entire party for three turns.  
  
I've added these moves on, as the initial level Kasumi joins on is like level 70, she's like under level ten as of now. Reminder that there is not an eight skill slot limit in this fic. So I've added a bunch of early game spells to the list below here:  
  
Kouha  
Makouha  
Kouga  
Makouga  
Giant Slice  
Rising Slash  
Heat Wave (Fire themed move.)  
Megaton Raid  
Vorpal Blade  
Dia  
Diarama  
Media  
Mediarama  
Mediarahan  
Charge (Why not give her something stupid like this with Gigantomachia and an unfair crit rate?)  
Rebellion (She has crit focused skills in her actual moveset, like Apt Pupil and Brave Step, so I gave her earlygame Brave Step.)  
Revolution (Brave Step but it has a catch.)  
Et cetera.  
  
Cinderella/Ella exclusive skills:  
  
Gigantomachia (Fire.)  
Inferno (Fire.)  
Blazing Hell (More fire.)  
Kougadyne (Both Unique to Ella. Colossal Bless damage to one foe with high chance of Bless insta-kill.)(Akechi's third tier Persona has the antithesis to this spell, Eigadyne.)  
Makougadyne (Both unique to Ella. Colossal Bless damage to all foes with high chance of Bless insta-kill.)(Akechi's third tier Persona has the antithesis to this spell, Maeigadyne.)  
-  
Updated elemental mumbo jumbo for Arsene^, Lupin* (Raoul), and Cendrillon^, Vanadis*, and Cinderella/Ella*:  
*Made up, but mostly based on logical assumptions.  
^Resist Fire was added unto Cendrillon, and Arsene is not weak to ice anymore.

Funny Caption | PHYSICAL - GUN ~ FIRE - ICE- ELEC - WIND ~ PSYCHIC - NUCLEAR - BLESS - CURSE | ALMIGHTY |

* * *

The Fool, Arsene: | NONE NONE~NONE NONENONE NONE ~ NONE NONE WEAK STR | NONE |

* * *

The Fool, Satanael: | STR STR ~ DR STR STR STR ~ STR STR NUL DR | NONE |

* * *

The World, Lupin: | STR DR ~ DR RPL RPL RPL ~ NUL NUL RPL DR | **RESIST** | 

* * *

The Faith, Cendrillon: | NONE NONE~ STR NONE NONE NONE ~ NONE NONE STR WEAK | NONE |

* * *

The Faith, Vanadis: | STR NONE~ NUL STR NONE STR ~ NONE NONE NUL WEAK | NONE |

* * *

The Faith, Cinderella: | STR STR ~ DR NUL STR RPL ~ NONE STR DR RPL | NONE |

* * *

LUPIN: "The true form of the gentleman thief, turned Persona, Arsene, who conjoined with the second son of god, slayer of the fool who would taint God's name. It is said that none have ever witnessed a power comparable to the Trickster's full potential; Lupin will despoil your opposition, and look flashy all the same."

-  
  
Oh, yeah, and “!?” at the end of a spoken sentence is worded less like a question than “?!”, just to clear up a few misconceptions.

Now, the show goes on.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Heart_  
  
-  
  
Panicked voices polluted the air beyond the door, something was certainly wrong in this stinky place that reeked of sweat.

Skull spoke. “These voices... where they comin’ from...?”  
No one added to that, much more focused on finding these voices rather than wondering about them. They all but stumbled across a wooden bridge to find a line of barred windows, if you were inside the cage you would see the barred window far too high to climb up to, which seemed to lead to only more insufferably dark halls, dried blood stains plainly visible, much to the team’s disgust.

“Oh, is it comin’ from over there?” Skull didn’t speak too loudly, as they seemed to have found the source of the inhumane screams, they would have likely been knee-deep in guards, if they hadn’t taken out other ones and had others take their place, but strangely they hadn’t seen any yet, until they came up to the window.  
It was a sickening sight to see: bloody volleyball team members were lined up on the wall, and were being battered by the blunt ends of large lances by several knights. A large golden knight with a menacing red aura glaring from the cracks in it’s armour, was standing in the middle of the room down there, back facing the intruders, looking on and taunting obscenities they couldn’t quite make out. A few were on the floor, bloody and beaten, unable to move at all, the team would like to think that they weren’t dead.

Skull lost all sense of self control. “Dammit! This is bullshit!”

“How many times do I have to tell you to keep your voice down?”

Skull stumbled for a rebuttal to the cat. “But this shit is beyond messed up! I think some of them are _DEAD_ down there!”  
Joker was bewildered how the knights didn’t hear that of all things, they really needed hearing aids if they couldn’t hear an obvious intruder, or at least anything at all over the incessant sounds of wood reaching bone, the slaves likely had bloody splinters from how hard they were being hit.

Skull all but growled. “How do I open this...?!”

“Ugh... Skull, they aren’t real: they’re only products of Kamoshida’s cognition!”

“What?!” Skull’s nickname fits him perfectly: only a skull, no brain inside.

“What I mean, is that those guys aren’t from the real world, they’re only here because Shadow Kamoshida saw the volleyball team members in the real world as slaves!”

Countess ceased Skull from just bringing them back to square one. "Basically,_ Skull, _the kitty means that these people aren’t real: _They. Aren’t. Real. _So stop worrying about it, _before_ I throw you in with them.”

"Fine, then just what are they?”

“It’s like how the school is a castle, Skull,” Mona somehow explained something to Skull without being condescending; a remarkable achievement. Mona continued upholding his achievement, “Kamoshida pictured his team as his slaves, which is why they _appear as slaves_ in his palace.”

Skull had the most pissed look you could muster in existence on his face. “So, the school’s a castle, and the students are its slaves... It’s so on point that it makes me laugh.” Joker glanced at Countess, she didn’t seem to react, but something shifted in her ruby eyes. “This really is the inside of that asshole’s head...!” Mona vaulted off the crate up upon Countess’ head, she only smiled and started rubbing the back of his ears and weird bulbous head. Mona was tempted to just succumb to her touch, but he had to explain things a lot and look smart so he could rope them into regaining his true form.

The cat said, “Still... This I-Is horrible,” He had an indecent look on his face, the two boys didn’t comment, the girl didn’t seem to notice. “this means he must be treating them as slaves outside of the Metaverse as well...”

Countess halted her sensual kneading to query. _“Metaverse?”_

“Forget that shit! What was that about treatin’ them like slaves outside of what?!” Joker only sighed, he didn’t really wanna deal with Skull being Skull so he let the cat or Ms. Legs deal with him.

“I call the cognitive world the _Metaverse_, it’s a world created from cognition, the real world runs parallel to this one, they are both influenced by each other, so it’s only natural to assume that based on what we see in here, something similar might be happening in the real world.” Even Joker was a little confused by that, but he wouldn’t let it show, and pray Skull didn’t put them back at square one of the exposition again.

“So... Kamoshida has knights, and has them beat the shit out of his team?” Joker might have just got a concussion from how hard he face palmed, the others shared his sentiment.

“_No, _dummy, what the cat means is that their treatment is similar: they must be getting abused in the real world, but not by knights.”

Mona beamed at her explanation, but not at the situation. “Still, this means that they must be physically abused every day... There’s no way they’d be so beat up under normal circumstances.”

“Don’t tell me...” Skull was finally catching on. “They’re goin’ through similar shit in reality?!”

“Most likely.” Mona mused, “I mean, this is solid evidence of what Kamoshida thinks of them—as slaves.”

“So this shit’s for real... I heard that Kamoshida was usin’ physical punishment. They were just rumors, but...” He scratched the back of his neck, scowl still clearly visible even under the mask. He pressed on, “If they’re true, then this shit would be somethin’ to report to the police, right...?” Skull brandished his phone, “I’ll use these guys as evidence... if it all goes well,” His scowl somehow got even worse, “we can take down that asshole...!” He started tapping at the screen to no avail. He was miffed at his phone's unresponsiveness, “...Huh? It’s not workin’!? We can use the navigation app, but the camera’s a no go?!”

Countess drew her phone from practically nowhere, Joker did not see any pockets anywhere, and she was likely checking if her camera worked. She only nodded dissent at Skull, Joker was about to try his to likely no avail.

“What about yours?” Skull stated the obvious, Joker ignored him, Countess peeked over his shoulder.

_‘.......? My camera app won’t open.’_

Joker didn’t have time to nod before Countess did his job for him. “No dice.” Skull simply frowned and almost hit the wall of the cage out of anger, but restrained himself after he remembered that they were still not trying to get caught, but honestly these guards sucked at hearing if they hadn’t noticed the racket in the middle of the room, over the incessant pleas of the volleyball team members they were beating to death, it was all white noise to the group at this point.

“Argh, whatever you do is fine, but we’re gonna get caught if we stick around like this.” Mona urged, to no real threat, they should have noticed like minutes ago, if they even _cared _for the intruders. The cat resumed his urging, “We need to head back!”

“Hang on a sec! There’s no other way...” He started leering at their figures, the ones he could actually see behind the massive bodies of armour. Skull had a determined look under his mask, but the team couldn't see it. “I’ll just memorize their faces before goin’ home!”  
  
-  
  
_Take your Heart_  
  
-  
  
“M'kay, let’s check the cells ‘round here.”

The party continued down the pathway, and found more cell windows similar to the last one, but the layout in this one was different. It was a massive treadmill adorned with a spinning meat grinder log with bloody spikes upon it, they couldn’t see what was behind the log, but they’d rather not imagine the mincemeat of fallen slaves behind it. There were only three slaves running on the unnecessarily fast treadmill, at the end of it was a large yellow jug, of what appeared to be water, hanged by a rope out of reach to any normal human being.

_“Water...” _the back most one pleaded in vain.

_Urgh... Please, no more...” _The middle one cried before tripping, they didn’t bother to get up.

Before the four could see the bloody guts and bones flying behind the back of the treadmill, Joker instantly reacted and practically tackled Countess’ eyes and ears onto the ground, he shut out all noise. Skull and Mona were similar in effort, quickly turning around and vaulting themselves upon the ground, eyes closed and hands firmly over their ears. Before they were mentally deprived of all innocence. They could still faintly hear gargled moans and the macabre sound of bones being all but triturated under pressure, hushed shrieks of the two left on the treadmill were all that persisted. Joker awkwardly shuffled her and himself across the ground, she did not respond, they crawled away to the right, away from the scene slowly. Skull was incessantly murmuring happy words and phrases, like a mantra to ward off the grim atmosphere the room suddenly took on.  
  
_End Chapter_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, since about five days from when this notes section was posted, the opening scene in a certain casino was shown off, it was revealed that Kasumi is left handed, or she at least holds the sword in her left hand in her battle stance, she is right handed in this, because I will most likely forget that she's left handed, and I will look stupid, so, bazinga.
> 
> EDIT: I'M FUCKING DUMB, SHE IS ACTUALLY RIGHT HANDED IN THE TRAILER. LAUGH AT ME BEING BLIND IN THE COMMENTS.


	9. The Great Sinner of Lust Part VIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one took a bit longer to make, but it's here. Pretty cool fight is in this chapter, based on the weird ultra instinct enemies that show up in The Royal. In case you didn't notice, the combat in this fic is novelized turn based combat. The space between each passage in a fight indicates a new turn. I tried my best, it certainly has it's charm.
> 
> (OUTDATED) I'm also going to overhaul the story so that I actually properly use paragraphs, (New paragraph when someone else starts talking, paragraphs for scene changes, etc. Should make it easier to tell what's going on.) thank my shitty English teachers for that, I learned more from one google search in 15 minutes than I did for days in class, with a pretentious woman lecturing us on misspells of shit like aton instead of a ton, deadass who tf actually uses aton???
> 
> The overhaul is complete, It should be much easier to read, let me know if any of the formatting is wrong.

-  
  
“I don’t know what you guys are doing...” A hoarse voice called out to the crawling intruders, “But you should leave us alone... Before _it _finds you.”

Skull looked up from the floor, “What the fuck are you talking about, “_it”,_ we’re not worried about _it. _We’re worried about how you guys are seriously okay with this fuckin’ _bullshit?!_”

Everyone else was unresponsive, but the caged team member continued. “You should really leave... before _it _finds you.”  
Skull simply ignored the fake team member, and helped Mona back up on his feet, now that they were far enough from the scene of the horrible accident. Joker did the same, she was clinging to him, afraid to as much as stand up, but she eventually opened her eyes and carried on. The slaves were fake, but it didn’t make the situation any less disgusting. They came to another window, this one was significantly less... gruesome, but it was still vile to look upon all the same. There was a single slave tied by his feet, hanging from the ceiling, in front of him was a cannon that you would normally find on a pirate ship. Every five seconds a volleyball exploded out of the barrel, and it hit the boy with a sickening smack every time, his rib cage was likely fractured, given how fast the volleyballs were hitting him.

Skull’s blood was boiling at the sight of this. “The hell...?! This shit isn’t trainin’ at all! It’s just violence!”  
Countess clung closer to Joker at the sight of this, he only held her tighter.  
“This means he’s been doin’ similar shit in reality... Damn! I’m gonna _kill_ that son of a bitch!”

Mona helped ease the situation, “...I doubt what we saw earlier actually happened... but,”

“But what?!”

“...something similar, not nearly as gruesome, or likely to be fatal... might be happening in the real world. If it hasn’t already, then it’s gonna start happening soon.” Joker could tell that Countess was trying not to puke. Skull was not going to do anything but maim Kamoshida, from the loathing expression on his face, and how red his face was in fury.

But his voice was not loud, it was frighteningly calm, and concise. “Give me a sec... I’m going to memorize his face real good...” Joker was surprised that he didn’t scream that this was bullshit and proceed to destroy the bars from sheer anger. He only stayed silent, Countess had since then stopped sobbing on his arm. She stood awkwardly, Skull only motioned for them to leave, Joker presumed that he had finished the face memorizing. They still refused to look at the second window, and only glanced at the first window. But something was off.

“Hey...” Mona started a tad urgently.

Skull only asked, his voice low, “What is it now?”

“...I think something is missing in the first cell.”  
The group looked over, there were only grey knights, the large golden knight with an ominous red aura around it was gone. Joker caught on to the situation, and the immediate danger of their scenario. He swiftly urged the team to leave, and practically dragged the girl to the exit doors. The door was unlocked, much to his relief, they all but scampered through the dark hall out into the room from before, nothing seemed wrong to the rest of the team, but Joker was on high alert, something was definitely wrong, the knight from before just disappeared out of thin air, he suspected they would be ambushed soon. He could hear something, the light whining of armor, he quickly dragged the team to an open space where it would be easy to maneuver in a fight. They somehow made it back to the lobby, but something was clearly not right.  
The lights were gone, all that stood in front of them was a black void, Skull was going to look for a light source, or anything at all but Mona pulled him back to the rest of the team by his leg. Joker could sense a presence in the darkness, and after what could be compared to a child in bed staring down their sleep paralysis demon, to three teens and a cat burglar staring into the void for a good five minutes, a clanking sound reverberated loudly. In the darkness he could just barely see a silhouette, it was bordered by a red and blueish black aura: the golden knight was approaching the group through the ashen blackness. It did not speak, but a sudden chill enveloped the room, Countess drew her rapier, clutched in her right hand. The darkness evaporated, it revealed that there was only the one knight in the room, all the other exits had a black and blue aura around them. By the looks of it, they would have to defeat it in order to escape. The knight did not speak, it only rose the sword, and brought it down to the ground, thick black smoke erupted from the ground, through the black curtain came a knight, similar to the large red knight from the day prior, although this one was black and blue, it’s armor was leaking a malevolent blue aura. The smoke eventually subsided, a vicious brawl was coming up.  
  
-  
  
The Eligor? stood at attention, the only sounds in the room being the breathing of the intruders, and the demonic mare kicking the floor, menacingly.

Mona decided to say something, finally, “...I don’t know what’s up with this shadow...” His expression turned to one of open fear, “But I have a horrible feeling about this...!”

Joker took charge, he used eiha to no effect, the murky black and red energy only vanished on contact with the knight, it did not retaliate.

Skull summoned Captain Kidd, he used lunge, a mysterious force manifested in front of the knight, it was stabbed by the force to very little effect.

Mona casted a garu spell, it did very little to the horse.

Countess invoked kouha, and they finally got some noticeable results, it made what only could be described as a demon howling at the hit, it slumped over, light was likely its weakness from the reaction. Countess attacked again, this time with her rapier, she professionally cut at the nightmare’s knees, blue aura emitted from the cuts, but nothing seemed to happen other than that.

The knight got back up from the slumped posture, it channeled some sort of foul energy from it’s spear, to the ground, Joker became aware of a vile presence under him, he quickly rolled away at the last moment before a maeiha spell hit him, Countess dodged in a similar manner, the other two weren’t so lucky, they were hit hard.

Mona healed his wounds with a dia spell.

Skull blasted the knight with zio, he didn’t get bad results, but not good ones either.

Joker brandished the Tkachev, he shot off eight times, before the clicking sound signaled that he was out of ammo, there was very little effect, he tried to aim for the eyes of the mare, but it didn’t get the reaction he anticipated.

Countess commanded Cendrillon to use another kouha, but the knight only knocked away the bolt of light with it’s spear, she cursed and was just barely hit by a subsequent counterattack, she cried in pain.

Joker stood in front of Countess’ fallen form, she was trying to get back up on her feet, the knight attacked again, this time with much different concentration. He braced himself for the pain, it came in droves, an eiga rattled his bones, but Arsene partially protected him from the attack.

Mona got behind Joker and gave Countess one of the medicines, she was enveloped in a holy aura, she suddenly felt much more in shape, somehow.

Skull took the offensive, attacking in tandem with the captain, he dished out much more damage then Joker thought he would, the blue aura wasn’t present when the last hit connected, the grim aura temporarily subsided.

Countess used Joker as a temporary crutch, and bolted from his body, she danced over the assailant, rapier in hand, then finished off with another kouha, it only knocked this one away yet again, the spell was coming towards her this time, she didn’t have time to dodge it so she stood her ground. It didn’t do very much to her, thanks to Cendrillon’s blessing.

The knight flicked its lance, Joker became aware of a white smoke and the sounds of his teammates in distress, the smoke subsided, and Mona was knocked out on the ground, everyone else was in horrible condition, but he stood without any injury somehow.

Joker scowled, he needed to do something, but his curse spells were ineffective, his gun was out of ammo, and his dagger would likely do nothing, as the blue aura has since returned to the enemy after the rampage attack. He summoned Arsene, and it cackled, he didn’t know what plan his other self had, but he felt it somehow, he became aware of its presence behind him, he rushed to the enemy, feinted a strike, then used the enemy’s off balance position to have him and Arsene make a combined effort to hit it with all they had, the blue aura tried to stop their combined strike, but it failed, and a meaty sound reverberated throughout the ballroom, Mona woke up from his daze at the sound, and saw Joker and his persona in a duel with the knight. Arsene guffawed and planted his bladed heel into the mare’s eye, the knight tried to perform damage control but only got hit with a curved dagger.

The others decided to stop sitting around and help Joker in his fight, Captain Kidd, Zorro, and Cendrillon stood, they joined hands, electricity, winds, and pure light gathered between them, and it shot out at the knight, it was too preoccupied with its duel to see the attack coming, and its mount was blasted apart. It stood with its spear alone, on equal footing with the Joker. The blue aura came back more menacing than ever before, all four stood in a line, it was time for phase two.  
-  
Eligor? started off with a lunge skill, targeted at Skull, the attack missed, as Countess knocked him out of the way of the incoming strike, and dodged the attack too.

She took this opportunity, and prepared a kouha, and then faked a throw, the knight prematurely tried to knock away the bolt, but it was delayed, and he missed completely, the bolt struck the being head on, it fell to its knees. The group tried to surround it while preparing powerful attacks to unleash, only Joker got off a cleave attack, the others couldn’t get out their skills before they were blasted several feet away by the blue aura. Skull fell on his rump, while Countess only used her momentum to land on her feet with grace, the others were alright.

The knight was starting it’s next attack when the captain suddenly came out of nowhere, the bow of the ship smashed right into the enemy’s midsection, ceasing it’s assault.

The others were beating up on it, when Joker was only watching, he felt a new possibility growing within him. Arsene spoke to him in his mind only, _“I have a new trick to employ in this fight. Let your anger run rampant, and I will do the rest.” _Joker obeyed, with a “Persona!” He summoned Arsene. The being did a strange motion, the others had since then stopped beating up on the knight, opting to stay on the defensive for a while. A strange effect similar to bubbles enveloped the knight, a slashing sound accompanied this phenomenon, the knight was hit, and something seemed off about it suddenly.  
It was fast asleep, a low snoring sound echoed in the foyer, the team only gave Joker a bewildered look, he simply shrugged.  
Arsene’s voice rang out in the hall. _“Good night, sleep tight.”  
_Mona suddenly motioned for them to try an All-out Attack, they obliged, jumping a sleeping enemy was a new one.

The same thing happened, they stylishly jumped the sleeping knight, the sounds of metal reaching metal poisoned the air, and splatters were heard on the ground. The black blood, black silhouette of the target, and the red mist that enveloped the scenery returned, and a white light was building up in his vision. He came down from the sky, he repeated his action from before, standing up and adjusting his gloves, giving his invisible spectators a wicked grin, behind the Joker was a dead shadow.  
His vision shifted back to normal, the entire group was standing around in a lit up foyer, the mysterious knight was gone, the only evidence of its existence was a pile of money, which Mona quickly collected, and a weird skull, with almost unnoticeable glowing blue orbs in its eyes.  
  
_End Chapter_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 770 views, 27 kudos, even now, I still couldn't thank you guys enough for your support.
> 
> Essay incoming on how the skull thing works:
> 
> The skull thing at the end of this chapter, when they beat the ultra instinct Eligor, is called a stone, or a skull, I can't remember what they called them in the P5R trailers, but they are called skulls in this fic. They can be used to give skills to other party members besides Joker, which is why we see nuke spells on Yusuke and psy skills on Ann in one of the trailers. My headcanon is that the eye color reflects which kind of skill you will be able to get, if it's red, you get a fire skill, use it on say, Morgana, and he will learn Agi. A darkish blue color is an ice skill, use it on someone besides Yusuke, and they will learn Bufu. A yellow color is an electric skill, anyone besides Ryuji learns Zio. Green is wind, an ally besides Morgana will learn Garu. Pinkish purple is psychic, anyone besides Haru will learn Psi. Light blue is nuclear, everyone sans Makoto will learn Frei when it's used on them. A light yellow with a slight tint of white is bless, anyone besides Kasumi, and Akechi's Robin Hood form will learn Kouha. A blackish purple is curse, everyone besides Akechi, Robin Hood or Loki form, will learn Eiha, Joker cannot use these skulls as skill cards already exist. And a white with a slight pinkish purple tint is almighty, the user will learn Megi, besides Robin Hood form Akechi.  
Another important mechanic that I kinda made up on myself, is skull fusion, via the Velvet Room or Jose, I'm pretty sure it's Velvet Room mumbo jumbo for skull fusion. We saw a skull with multiple skulls inside itself, like two or three skull faces, in one of the P5R trailers. If we say, used a twin wind skull on say, Kasumi, she will learn Garula, and so on and so forth. An example here: Single face, fire, you would learn Agi, double face, fire, you would learn Agilao, triple face, you would learn Agidyne. I don't know about quadruple face fusion, if you did get a quadruple face fire skull, then I guess it would teach you Inferno. For the ma-family of skills (Attack all enemies skills, like Maeiha, which is Eiha to all enemies for 10 SP.), I guess the color of the skull signifies that, If we have a fire skull, red eyes, and instead of the white or grey bone color, we have a red bone color, it will be a Ma-fire skill, so if it's a triple faced red fire skull, then you will learn Maragidyne when you use it. Sorry for the essay but I just wanna let ppl know about this ahead of time.
> 
> Oh, and the weird ultra instinct enemies will drop skulls based on what color the aura around them is, if its aura is say, green, it will drop a wind elemental skull, the bone color is mostly random, and the amount of faces on it is also random, but it's mostly based on how strong the shadow is, say, an ultra instinct Kali will give you much better shit than, say, an ultra instinct Berith.  
The Velvet Room services for the skull shit, are called fusions for the fusing of two single faced skulls into a double face skull of the same element of the two before. Three single faces for a triple faced skull, or a double face and a single face for a triple faced skull, and so on and so forth. The recoloring of the skulls is called divination, there is a chance that the selected skull will be reborn as a colored skull, the more yen you offer, the more likely it will be successful in the recolor.
> 
> Feel free to ask questions about the skull mechanic in the comments, I will try to explain to the best of my ability.


	10. The Great Sinner of Lust Part IX

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Took quite a bit of time to get this one out, mostly because of school and my weird sicknesses.  
Nevertheless, it's here, and this story is back for more.

* * *

-  
  
The skull was a little too mysterious to the group, Skull (Ryuji, not the actual skull.) asked Mona what in the seven hells it was supposed to be, and the cat merely shrugged, he put it away with the rest of his three thousand yen. Somewhere in his... magic tool belt.  
The foyer had since lit up, but was deathly quiet, Joker broke the silence. “The doors have unlocked, by the looks of it.”

“Wait... we’re finally gettin’ outta here?!” Skull was happy to be alive, yet again, that shadow was no joke.

“Let’s save it until _after_ we’ve left this place,” Countess tried to steady her breathing. “now that we’ve likely angered Kamoshida even more at the loss of more of his cronies.”

Mona did the weird thing where he rubbed his stubby paws together. “Yes, we should leave before another one of those... _things,_ show up to haunt us.”

Joker merely motioned for the team to run for the doors, but Mona had a better idea. “We should go back out through our infiltration point, it couldn’t hurt to be more... discreet about this.”

“But the door’s right there!” Skull whined, he was really impatient.

“Just listen to the cat before I drag you with us, by _what_ I’ll drag you by,” Her expression was icy, despite her fiery red eyes. “I won’t say.”

Skull didn’t say a word, he only inwardly shuddered, and obeyed. They found their way through the door, into a series of corridors, Mona led the way back into the musty room with the vent. Joker dragged Skull through the vent yet again, out of courtesy.

They were back in the courtyard, far enough away from the castle to feel safe, and Skull complained. “We really could’ve just ran out the front doors, they ain’t gonna follow us back outside, especially out back into the real world!”

Mona only complained about Skull’s complaining. “If you wanna get caught, then be our guest! Because I don’t really know if they _really can_ follow us out into the real world!”

Skull was wide eyed. “That’s a joke... right?”

Countess ceased the conversation. “How about we... get the hell out of here? Before I change my mind on not dragging out back out, _Sakamoto._” Her expression was colder than a polar bear’s toes.

Joker would have his laugh at Sakamoto being under a girl’s thumb, but they really needed to leave, before the guards followed them out and started beating the shit out of the real world volleyball team members.

“Besides that, how about we leave... before Yoshizawa-san starts following through on her threats?”  
  
Mona gave them the expectant look from last time. “So you guys are running off like everything’s all hunky-dory again?” His tone was only disappointed this time, not angry. “After all the work I put in teaching you guys, you’re all gonna run off yet again?”

“Unfortunately, we have lives outside of running around in a haunted castle, Morgana.” Countess deadpanned. “Like going to school, like normal teenagers.”

“Yeah, I know. I just wanted to know if you guys are going to be back here yet again?”

“I wouldn’t count on it, Mona.” Joker said. “But we might just be back if we can’t take down Kamoshida in the real world, after we get witnesses on the volleyball team to testify.”

Morgana looked a bit amused, for what reason they didn’t know, he only smiled and bid them good evening. The group left in a flash of red, the cat schemed. “They’ll never get the team members to talk, and when they come crawling back here, I’ll show them how to do it. Then I _will _rope them into going to Mementos...” He had a little mischievous laugh, he went back into the castle.

  
-  
  
_Take your Time  
  
-  
  
“__You have returned to the real world, welcome back.”_  
They were back in the school alley, no knights were with them, the monster cat wasn’t with them, and they were back in their school uniforms, it looked to be about a few minutes before five o’clock.

“...Thank god. We’re back.” Ryuji wheezed, he was leaning on the wall. “I dragged you around a lot, huh, Akira?” His expression turned to genuine apology. “...Sorry, man.”

Kasumi looked winded, her eyes were half closed, and she was trying to discreetly hold her stomach.

“Ugh... I’m dead tired... How you guys holdin’ up?”  
  
Kasumi stopped caressing her torso, now that she was about to be at attention. “Never... better.”  
  
Akira was quite frankly, hungry as a starving bear. “I could use a meal after that fight...”  
The girl’s eyes lit up almost comically, but Ryuji didn’t notice it.  
  
The blonde whined. “I could use a nap when I get home. I’m gonna sleep like a rock, too...” His expression shifted suddenly to manic excitement, his earlier exhaustion ancient history. “But man, if that shit we saw back at the palace was for real, then shit’s gonna get real good from here on out!” Ryuji’s face somehow got even more manic. “I totally remember all their faces! If all goes well, then that square jaw mophead is dead in the water!” His expression was revised. “So, you guys wanna help me look for the witnesses? The more the merrier!”  
The girl was silent, Akira volunteered. “Sure, when do we start?”

Ryuji got even happier, somehow. It warmed Akira’s heart to see him so happy, after what that asshat did to his leg and reputation. “Now that’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout! How about you, Yoshizawa-san?”

She awkwardly stayed silent, but she half accepted.  
Ryuji had a sullen expression on his face again. “Hey, so...” He turned his attention to Akira. “If you’re thinkin’ of layin’ low ‘cause you got a record, then I don’t think that’ll help...” Ryuji all but fumed. “That asshole will do anything to get rid of the shit that you said, and start spreading bullshit about you to the school, we’re gon’ have to be quick if you don’t want him to ruin your life. Take that from one of his victims...”  
Kasumi gave him a look, it wasn’t hostile, it was actually sympathetic, a harsh difference to when she was smacking the shit out of him back at the palace.  
Akira questioned. “How did my record even get out before I showed up?”  
The vulgar boy glowered in loathing. “Kamo_shit_a opened his god damned stinky ass mouth.”  
Kasumi almost laughed, _almost._  
“But _why?_ Why open his stinky mouth if he had no reason to?” Akira had a fraction of Kasumi’s patented neutral death look on his face. It wasn’t directed at Ryuji, although.  
  
“No one else ‘sides a teacher could’ve leaked it that fast. And that asshole just does whatever the fuck he wants, the lives of others be damned. If he doesn’t like you, you have an ice cube’s chance in fiery _hell_ that you’ll even last more than a year, before being expelled for some kinda bullshit he came up with.” His voice was deathly calm. “No one takes any shit I try to say seriously, and it’s all ‘cause of that asshole.” He became deep in thought, who knew he actually thought once in a while? “But still... if those rumors about him gettin’ physical are real, then shit’s _really _gonna hit the fan in a week or so.” The thoughtful look vanished like smoke in the wind, the only thing remaining; a scowl. “We saw Kamoshida’s distorted heart in person, there’s no way he isn’t beating the fuck outta his team. And there’s not a chance in hell I’m sittin’ back lettin’ him pull his fuckin’ bullshit on others!”  
  
Akira agreed without hesitation. “Of course.”  
Kasumi was similar in reaction to his plight.  
“I’m countin’ on you two!” Ryuji was giddy. “Don’t worry; I’m just as hyped for this shit as you two are!”  
  
Akira felt a strange warmth in his heart, his vision faded slightly, but he could still see the two in front of him, Ryuji was slightly brighter than Kasumi. He wasn’t frozen, he was still moving slightly, his face just as lit up as the sun. He normally should’ve been alarmed about this, but something stopped him from being so.  
  
‘I can sense a bond of trust coming from Ryuji...’

-

  
_I am _ _ **thou** _ _ , thou art I...  
  
Thou hast acquired a _ _ **new** _ _ vow._  
  
  
It shall ** become** the wings of rebellion

_ that _ _ ** breaketh** _ _ thy chains of captivity. _

_ With the _ _ ** birth ** _ _ of the _ _ Chariot _ _ Persona__,  
_

_I have obtained the winds of blessing that _

_ shall lead to _ _ ** freedom ** _ _ and new power...  
_

-

_  
__NEW CONFIDANT: __**Ryuji Sakamoto**_  
_ARCANA: CHARIOT_  
_ RANK: 1/10_  
  
-<>-  
  
His vision returned to normal, and Ryuji began to speak again, finished with the standing around, and seemingly oblivious to the strange tarot card vision that just happened.  
“Oh... right. I haven’t eaten anything since lunch...” To be fair, Akira hadn’t eaten anything since Sojiro’s breakfast. Kasumi’s face lit up at the mention of food, Akira only inwardly chuckled.

Ryuji asked the group. “It’d be weird to go splittin’ off now, so why don’t we all grab a bite somewhere?”

Akira noticed Kasumi’s face getting even brighter, it looked like she was trying to hide it, he did not mention it out of courtesy. “Sure.”

Ryuji turned to the exit of the alleyway. “Just follow me. I mean, I totally gotta know about your past!”

Kasumi only gave Akira an urging look, he nodded with a knowing smile on his face, and motioned for her to follow him, it was a game of follow the monkey.  
  
-

_  
End Chapter_


	11. The Great Sinner of Lust Part X

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah shit, here we go again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Each character is going to have a different style of texting.  
Futaba is going to have the most "internet refined" texting you will ever see online.  
Ryuji is just, well, Ryuji texting; there is not a way in hell that he uses even a little bit of grammar while texting IRL.  
Akira uses a little bit of grammar, he uses commas, doesn't usually capitalize, but he uses periods for dramatic effect.  
Ann is, well, the average Instagram kinda uh, W-H-I-T-E girl dialect, there was really no other way to explain it, I am sorry if you are a W-H-I-T-E girl on Instagram or SnapChat reading this.  
Haru uses grammar and punctuation most of the time, she can have typos but it's better than most you'll see.  
Kasumi is one of two types, literally Ryuji level or Shakespeare levels of writing skill, depends on the context.  
Yusuke uses estranged big words for terms and posts the weirdest shit you will ever see in the group chat in the middle of the night, he is proper by day and an absolutely insane shitposter by night.  
Akechi is a tryhard to look cool and relatable, nothing much else to be said.  
Morgana has paws so he has insane typos when he fucks with Joker's phone, the gang can usually tell when Morgana is trying to say something Joker wouldn't because it's plagued with typos.  
Makoto literally looks over every single message like it's a job application like six times, and she literally never makes typos or grammar issues even with a DDR pad: she's giving Shakespeare a run for his money.  
Akechi is just cringe when he tries to be funny on the internet when the public isn't going to see it.  
i might've forgotten someone so let me know bc my liver has shut down
> 
> This is a list of the members of the Phantom thieves that understand memes and internet culture things, as a tier list.
> 
> S+: Yusuke (ONLY AT 3AM WHEN HE IS POSSESSED BY SKELETON TRUMPET MAN)  
S: Futaba (Like, duh.)  
A: Akira (He spent a lot of time in his room doing nothing back at home, he has likely learned a lot about internet culture in his free time.)  
B: Akechi (Akechi is tryhard to understand basically anything and look relatable and funny to the public.)  
C: Ryuji  
D: Haru, Kasumi, Ann (She only understands things you would expect the Instagram thots to understand meme-wise.)  
E: Morgana, (Memes have a influence on MEMEntos, yes, I'm really that crazy.) Yusuke (Any time other than the middle of the night.)  
F: Makoto (She spent like a few hours looking over her internet messages when she pretended to be Eiko is my headcanon. She knows literally nothing about memes.)

  
  
-  
  
Ryuji had led the group down central street to the beef bowl establishment. There wasn’t much conversation between the party, but Akira was fine with that.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time_  
  
-  
  
“WHAT?!” Ryuji basically notified literally everyone in Shibuya of his surprise, Kasumi probably would’ve beaten him to death, but she can’t do that in a public place.  
“The hell, man! How much shittier can that asshole get!?” Ryuji was still making a scene. Somehow, no one really seemed to care, they were too engrossed in eating to care about a crazy blonde thug in their business.  
Akira had told him about the events on that fateful night, Kasumi wasn’t really listening, she was wolfing down the food they bought, but Akira could tell she was listening, even just a little bit.  
The criminal in question spoke at room volume. “I’m still eating.”

The blonde apologized, for what, being loud, or something else, Akira didn’t really know. “Oh. My bad.” Ryuji somehow managed to eat and speak at the same time, Kasumi didn’t really care for his display of unmannerly foolishness, she wasn’t one to talk with how she was eating like a starved war pig.  
“So... you left your hometown, and... * _ slurp* _ ... you’re livin’ here now, huh?”  
The boy didn’t reply, opting to eat, instead of fuel the buffoonery.  
“...We might be more alike than I originally thought.”  
Akira was a little surprised, he was a little right, outcasts for shit that wasn’t even their fault, and shunned by others who don’t know any better.  
“You may be right.”  
The other teen had the Ryuji patented smile that melts icebergs in minutes upon his visage.  
“ You’re the first guy that made me think that.” He went back to eating and speaking, somehow it was less disgusting than the last time.  
“I guess it’s how we’re treated like a pain in the ass by the people around us, like we don’t belong.” He put down his bowl. “...I did something stupid at school before, too.” He picked it back up and finished it off. “The place you’re livin’ in now is in... Yongen, right? It’s rush hour on the subways. I suggest you kill some time ‘fore headin’ home...” He looked over at Kasumi’s nonexistent food, she had long finished it, and only was listening in on other people’s conversations. He looked over to Akira’s beef bowl.

“What the hell, man. You barely touched your food.” He was reaching over to the object in question.

“I can do that myself.” The boy insisted.

“Jus’ lemme do it. I gotta thank you for helpin’ me. Anyways, I gotch’ yer back like you got mine from now on, right?” His face went back to a neutral look. “As long as we do somethin’ ‘bout Kamoshida, then we ain’t got nothin’ to worry about back at school.” He looked back to Kasumi, her hand was holding up her cheek, she was looking at the two of them silently, he ignored her staring. “Oh, yeah!”  
It looked to Akira that he had an idea.  
“Tell me your number. Chat ID too.”  
Akira was about 99% sure they had already exchanged contact info, he checked his phone for his number, just to be sure.

“We already did _yesterday_. This is exactly why we can’t have nice things, _Sakamoto._”

He wracked his brain for the memory, and only facepalmed. He ran a hand through his dyed hair. He checked his phone and started talking, ignoring his brain fart moments ago.

“We should start lookin’ for the team members tomorrow, the volleyball rally’s comin’ up. Shit’s recommended by Kamoshida. Makes me wanna fuckin’ gag...” He paused for dramatic effect. “_But,_ thanks to that, we got no classes in the afternoon, and we’ll be able to walk around unnoticed.” He non verbally gestured for Kasumi to confirm whether she’d be tagging along.  
“Kamoshida wants me to be watching for the entire game, I won’t really be able to leave the bleachers unnoticed, so you boys are on your own. Unfortunately...”  
Ryuji insisted that it was okay. “No, that’s fine, you should be able to distract him while we run off outside!”  
She gave him the patented look. “With _what,_ are you imagining, Sakamoto.”

There was about... three ways that statement could be taken, Akira didn’t want to think about the implications, so he stopped them from getting in a fist fight or something in public. He only got in the middle of them by leaning forward, she was on his left and he was on his right. They stopped giving each other childish looks, like sticking out their tongues at each other.  
Ryuji seemed to have forgotten the earlier event in less than five seconds. “C’mon, ya gotta eat more. There’s tons of ginger here.” He reached for the ginger, and basically robbed Akira of his beef bowl.  
  
-  
  
Take your Time  
  
-  
  
Akira had returned to Leblanc, the place was empty, sans his caretaker on one of the stools.

“...You’re home.” The man stated the obvious. “I take it that you actually went to school today?”  
  
“Nothing stupid happened today, unfortunately.”

“Now what is that supposed to mean?”  
  
The boy only shrugged, nonchalantly.

“Eh, whatever, as long as you’re not getting into any trouble you can do whatever you want... Besides following the law, that is.” His tone quickly turned sour. “But if you _do_ cause trouble, you’re _gone. G-O-N-E._ In case you didn’t already know, your life isn’t a free one.”

His phone suddenly rang, he had gotten a text from someone.  
  
\---IM---  
  
  
Ryuji: hey u seein this

He had gotten his first message from the blonde, unfortunately he had a feeling Kasumi wouldn’t bother with texting him so he would have to deal with Ryuji telling him shit he already knows, or shit he just plainly doesn’t give a flying fuck about.  
He decided to be a smartass just because he could.  
  
Akira: nope  
  
He got a reply almost instantly.  
  
Ryuji: why tf u lyin  
  
Ryuji: im gonna be counting on u tomorrow we should split up so we can cover more ground  
  
Akira: about what?  
  
Ryuji: if ur gonna be like this all the time then im just not gonna bother  
  
Akira: please do.  
  
Ryuji: we should be saving the team members not being asses to dachother  
  
Akira: what does that even mean?  
  
Ryuji: what  
  
Akira: dachother, is that a new word?  
  
Ryuji: this aint funny u know what im talkinh about  
  
Akira: i may be unable to read your dialect, ryuji  
  
Ryuji: fuck off and listen  
  
He only laughed at his friend’s bluntness.  
  
Ryuji: we are gonna save those guys getting abused even if ur gonna be uncoperaytivive  
  
Akira didn’t know if Ryuji was faking it or he couldn’t spell to save his life.  
  
The series of messages ended.  
  
\---  
  
“...Sheesh, are you even listening to me? Just stay away from bad influences, okay?”  
The boy only nodded and advanced for his musty room.  
“Hey, I’m gonna head home for the night. I’ll lock the store up. Don’t go wandering out, or try to do something stupid.” The teen did not reply, he only kept walking up the stairs, and that was that.  
  
He had changed into his lounge wear, exhausted from the events of today, he was about to go to lay down on his bed, but he had gotten another text.  
  
\---IM---  
  
Ryuji: hey that thingy on your phone was that freaky eyeball thing right  
  
Akira: yeah  
  
Ryuji: that’s how we got to the weird fucking castle  
  
Akira: yeah

Ryuji: i uh

Ryuji: i got it on my phone now  
  
Akira should’ve been alarmed, but he really wasn’t.  
  
Ryuji: i didnt even think of installing it and it just showed up a minute ago when i turned on my phone  
  
Akira: i should be alarmed but honestly I’m not surprised, the same thing happened when i got here. it just decided to show up  
  
Ryuji: for real this shit is insane  
  
Ryuji: i just hope i dont have any weird ass nightmares about it  
  
Akira: *ghost noises*  
  
Ryuji: fuck off it isnt funny  
  
Akira: im getting the soap, open wide  
  
Ryuji: no u  
  
Akira: no no no u  
  
Ryuji: forget it what should i do with the nav  
  
Akira: leave it, deleting it wont work, it just shows up the next time it’s convienent  
  
Akira: and i doubt rebooting or hard resetting would work

Akira: and i really doubt breaking your phone and getting a new one is a good idea, might as well just keep it. be careful not to try and show other ppl it, you might drag them in and get them killed by demons  
  
Ryuji: yeah i know but for real what tf is with these demon things at the palace

Ryuji: like i should’ve been even a little worried about actual demons coming after me but i just beat them to death without a second thought  
  
Akira: just don’t ask questions, sometimes it’s just easier to take the monster cat and persona shit if you just don’t think about it too hard  
  
Ryuji: do you think kasumi is gonna actually message us about this shit

Ryuji: bc i really have a bad feeling that she also has the nav  
  
Akira: honestly she probably does, next time we meet we can ask her if she has the nav on her phone, i don’t really know how to just kind of slide into her ims and live to tell the story the next day  
  
Ryuji: mood tbh  
  
Akira: we should really go to bed, just don’t use the nav unless we’re all together  
  
Ryuji: yeah i got it  
  
Ryuji: but we need to find those witnesses tomorrow try not to ditch me alright  
  
Akira: i wouldn’t count on it  
  
Ryuji: hardy har har  
  
The conversation had ended.  
  
\---  
  
Akira had since turned his phone off, he really needed to get to bed, it was 9:23, and he was feeling like a sack of bricks since they left the Metaverse. He slammed his mug onto the bed, to a surprisingly fulfilling sleep...  
  
_ End Chapter _


	12. The Great Sinner of Lust Part XI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in a day.
> 
> Ah shit, here we go again.

  
  
-  
  
He jolted awake at the sudden feeling of cold and the absence of his thick brown blanket. He wordlessly rose from his ‘bed’ and walked to the entrance to his cell, the two wardens only looked at the man in the center of the room.  
  
“...Welcome to the Velvet Room. I thought to resume our previous conversation tonight. That is why I have summoned you, Trickster.” Igor mandated to his prisoner.  
“What are your thoughts? Are you becoming accustomed to this place?”  
  
Akira was sick of this old man’s bullshit, he wasn’t having his peaceful rest interrupted every night for the rest of the year, that’s for damn sure.  
“Don’t be stupid.”  
“Know your place, Inmate! Just _who_ do you think you’re talking to?!”  
The prisoner didn’t even flinch at the shock from the electric baton, he only gave the loudmouthed warden a tired look, before the wardens could comment Igor laughed, anybody else would have been terrified at the prospect of a similar experience. But Akira only gave him Kasumi’s blank look, the one that screamed in terror to the unfortunate soul that witnessed it. Igor was no normal soul either, he completely ignored the inmate’s actions.  
“Yet again you prove to be an exceedingly rebellious individual. You are simply marvelous, I have no other words that can explain my praise of your efforts toward rehabilition to your freedom... Alas, we only have so much time.” The enigma shifted his posture. “Your rehabilitation determines whether ruin can be truly circumvented, such a feat can not be done alone. You have already associated and awakened three of those people, although many more remain, you still have taken the most necessary steps in averting ruin, Trickster.” Igor stared off into space, hand grasping at nothing in the frigid air of the Velvet Room.  
“I can feel an arcana that has begun its orbit of this place, The Chariot has awakened to your aid, such a card will prove vital to your efforts. My congratulations, Trickster...”  
Akira was confused, but he remembered the strange tarot card vision, it said something about “The Chariot”, and it was somehow related to Ryuji in a way.  
“Does the Chariot represent Ryuji?”  
  
“Yet again you impress, yes, Ryuji Sakamoto belongs to the Chariot in the deck of Arcanas...” The man snapped his fingers, and a set of tarots appeared upon the desk that Igor resided upon, and a set floated just out of reach in front of Akira’s prison, one of the cards was much brighter than the others. Akira assumed that that was the Chariot card. He saw many, many more cards other than that, they had names attached to them:  
  
The Hierophant, The Hermit, The Lovers, The Emperor, The Empress, The High Priestess, The Magician, The Consultant, The Justice, The Judgement, The Fool, The Death, The Devil, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, The Temperance, The Fortune, The Strength, The Hanged Man, The Tower, and The Faith.  
  
“You seem confused, Trickster. All of these cards represent someone you may form a powerful bond with that will aid you in your stand against ruin. All of your current friends represent one of these cards, even people you may not know or have seen only once have a suit Arcana... It turns that your friend Ryuji represents the Chariot...” Igor looked through him.  
“Your caretaker, Sojiro Sakura, has an Arcana, when you form a contract with him, you will know. Same with Sadayo Kawakami, Kasumi Yoshizawa, Morgana, and many more...”  
Akira was a little... intrigued by the prospect of whatever Igor was blathering about, he was curious. “What do they belong to?”  
  
“That is for you to find out, these bonds are known as _Confidants_, and they will help you along your journey in the Metaverse in ways you may not even realize...” Igor looked somewhere, his bloodshot eyes about to pop out of his hemisphere skull. “These people you will form contracts with are similar to you; they are people who have been robbed of their place to belong.” He looked back to him. “These people will also help you in this room, you may have seen your Confidant rank during that vision you had back in the real world, yes?”  
The prisoner only nodded.  
“That will happen every time you form a new bond with someone, or reach the peak of your contract with the same person... These bonds will enhance our services to you, once you awaken to your special ability. All will be explained then...” Akira just now noticed how bald this freak was, but he was still talking. “You will have to use even me to progress your bonds, I will now grant you powers befitting one such as you, Trickster...”

‘_It feels like Igor has high expectations of me...’_  
  
-

_ I am _ _ **thou** _ _ , thou art I..._  
  
_Thou hast acquired a **new** vow._

_ It shall _ _ **become** _ _ the wings of rebellion  
  
that _ _ **breaketh** _ _ thy chains of captivity.  
  
  
With the birth of the _ _ **Fool** _ _ Persona,  
  
I have obtained the winds of blessing that  
  
shall lead to freedom and new _ _ **power**__...  
  
-  
  
NEW CONFIDANT: _ _ **Prison Master—Igor  
** _ _ ARCANA: FOOL  
RANK: 1/10  
  
NEW ABILITIES:  
WILD TALK: _ Allows you to negotiate with Shadows during a hold up.  
_ ARCANA BURST: _ Earn bonus EXP when fusing Personas based on their arcana’s Confidant rank.  
_THIRD EYE:_ Allows you to see things normally invisible to the naked eye; A thief’s most vital skill.

_ **  
** _-<>-

“Well, you will understand all of this in due time... Alas, our time will be cut short. We will surely meet again, when the whims of fate so desire...”  
The alarm didn’t sound, his vision only faded to black swiftly, and his soul drifted back to the real world.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time  
  
_-  
  
_**\- **__**20XX, **__**4/13 Tuesday, Cloudy**__** -  
  
**_“How annoying—we’ve barely started high school, and already they’re making us play at a volleyball rally?” Akira was discreetly tailing a couple of male students, he supposed getting some info anywhere he could during downtime would be vital.  
“And why are they pitting us against the teacher team? Kamoshida’s gonna crush us.”  
The other student spoke. “We get to see his technique live and in person, though. We should totally get spiked on!”  
“Yeah, okay. You’re gonna get your face smashed in.”  
Akira had to agree, this idiot was going to get blasted if he was going against Kamoshida in volleyball.  
“Just look at how banged up the volleyball team is. What the hell goes on during their practices?”  
  
_‘Physical abuse, corporal punishment, rape, the works.’  
_He _wanted_ to say that, but he’d rather not cause any more trouble than needed.  
  
_End Chapter_


	13. The Great Sinner of Lust Part XII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah, shit, here we go again.

-  
  
_Take your Time_  
  
-  
  
Class had just started, and Kawakami was teaching for this period. “Okay, listen up everyone. As you all know, today is the volleyball rally. Head to the gymnasium once you’ve changed. Alright?”

Students had filed out of the classrooms in a couple minutes, he would probably find Ryuji once he got to the gymnasium.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time_  
  
-  
  
Half hearted cheers filled the grand gymnasium, there was a single volleyball court in the center of the large building. Bleachers were encompassing most of the perimeter, students ranging from bored to death, indifferent, or phony Kamoshida fanboys/fangirls adorned the structures. On one side was a rag tag group of rather... scrawny students, they all had bandages and bruises in places that didn’t even seem possible if the injuries were related to sports in any way, shape or form. The other side had some teachers ranging from early 20’s to mid 30’s in age, the center of which was none other than Kamoshida in his element.  
Akira and Ryuji were down in a corner watching the one man show for Kamoshida to stroke his ego, they were waiting for something to make a scene, then vanish like smoke in the wind.  
“Still sticks out... Hasn’t changed a bit.” Ryuji commented on Kamoshida’s behavior in the game.

Akira only gave him a tired look, Ryuji yawned dramatically. “Pretty boring.” He glanced to Akira with half a shit eating grin. “...Right?”

The look dissipated not a second after, only exhaustion remained.

Akira’s gaze wandered, he was trying to look for Kasumi in the sea of students along the perimeter, but he only found a different familiar face. It was Takamaki, she was detached from the entire situation, unlike most of the other faceless fangirls in the chamber.

She was twirling one of her pig tails, clearly bored out of her mind. She didn’t notice, and his gaze went back to the crowd to try and find a blood red ponytail among the rabble.

Most of the game had consisted of the students sloppily returning the ball from the teachers, then Kamoshida spiking their return before they could even blink. Many students had been hit by said spikes, but only glancing blows had been received, until now, of course.  
Kamoshida practically floated up to the ball’s trajectory and launched it like a speeding bullet with a reverberating smack that lingered for seconds. Sounds of moderate cheer dwindled as the ball met one of the student’s faces head on, they fell down almost dramatically.  
The sounds of distress lingered for moments, before the king of the court approached the fallen student.

“Sorry!” Akira almost laughed with how fake an apology that would’ve sounded to anyone with a third of a brain.

“Hey, are you all right?!” The student was unresponsive, he had brown hair.  
“Someone! Take him to the nurse’s office!”  
Awkwardly, one of the other teachers on the team basically dragged the student out of the gymnasium.  
  
“He’ll pay soon enough...” Ryuji silently threatened, he picked up the ball from where it had landed in the corner and threw it half chivalrously, and half aimed at Kamoshida’s ugly mug. He missed, fortunately or unfortunately, depends on your outlook, reader.  
Kamoshida was staring off into space, he leaned down and picked up the rolling ball, unknowing the malice behind it.  
“All right, let’s resume the match!”

The numbers weren’t fair, as there was only four students left, and four teachers, not including the powerhouse that was Suguru Kamoshida on a volleyball court.  
To be fair, Kamoshida versus the entire school would still be unfair for the students.  
Thankfully, one of the teacher’s protested that the students were down one man, and requested that someone else join the student’s team. Kamoshida reluctantly accepted, until he realized he could bully another student while showing off to the entire school. His eyes surveyed the room, he glanced to Kasumi, hidden among the fangirls, she was trying to hide to no such avail. He looked to the corner, the American beauty didn’t even notice, she merely absentmindedly fiddled with her pigtail in boredom. Every actual team member shrunk under his blank yet mischievous gaze. He came to the corner, and found two delinquent stooges huddled in the corner, twiddling their thumbs, an almost invisible smug look presented on his octagon face.  
He requested that the “blacky in the corner” volunteer, he would rub salt in the wound by beating him to death in volleyball on top of exposing his record.  
The student only sighed vehemently, and handed the track traitor his glasses. He walked out of the corner, and the whispering had already begun. Kamoshida had an accomplished expression, he had already taken the first steps to taking the crimeboy down a notch.  
  
-  
  
Akira met the team members in the center of their court, they had a pitiful look for him, he would likely know their pain soon.  
  
Well, of course, he wasn’t planning on taking it sitting down.  
  
His eyes narrowed into a deathly focus, everything seemed to have slowed down considerably, a familiar voice rung out in his mind only.  
_**“This is the third eye, Trickster. Use it to your heart’s content, inform this brazen fool that he is nothing more than a washed trash can in a sea of **__**rubbish**_**.”  
**It was Arsene’s voice, he could just barely see a presence floating above him, he prayed that no one other than him, and maybe Ryuji and Kasumi could see the ghost. Nobody was freaking out about the actual ghost in the room, so he assumed that it was fine. He estimated that everything was moving approximately between six times slower, to a snail’s pace, depending on how hard he focused. He could somehow sense that Kamoshida was going to talk, and deactivated the ability.  
“Alright, let’s resume the match!”  
  
It was currently best of five sets, 0-0, 2 sets in the teacher’s favor, the set had been reset out of courtesy for the injured student, most likely to prolong Kamoshida stroking his ego for as long as possible. The first serve was given to the student’s team, just to show that they really sucked that bad. The previous set’s scores had been 25-3/7 Kamoshida was likely only giving the student’s points to look like he was actually training them.  
It was now or it was never, as the whistle had been blown, and the serve was on a blue haired boy he vaguely recognized from his homeroom class.  
He activated third eye, it isn’t really explainable in words to how he activates it, so just pretend there is a super cool way he activates it without standing out.  
  
Everything was at a snail’s pace, the blue haired person that was serving was suddenly known as “Yuuki Mishima” in his mind. He could see a vague line of where the ball was going to be, the line stopped just as it reached over the net and went basically straight down toward him, he tried to move to intercept, but he was also moving at a snail’s pace, he concentrated and everything went a little faster, not so much as to trip him up, but it was a nice change of pace.  
Kamoshida began his jump toward the ball, and Akira slowed down even more to brace himself for a plan to return the ball, he had played volleyball back in his hometown, but not in super slow motion. It was coming almost comically slow towards him, he almost laughed at Kamoshida being an asshole.  
He began his leap up to the ball to spike it right back at the asshat, he had so much time to plan what he was going to do, it was pretty badass being a Trickster, all in all.  
He spiked it with his palm, he could feel the ball on his hand for an extended period of time, a whitish line formed in his vision, it seemed to show where the ball was going to go, he aimed it straight to the very corner, farthest away from Kamoshida, just to spite him.  
  
He was wheezing in laughter on the inside, Kamoshida’s sudden look of half fear half anger when the ball left his palm was tantalizingly humorous, if only he had some way to take a picture. He burned Kamoshida’s stupid face into the back of his eyeballs for future reflection and laughing.  
The ball was going into the corner, Kamoshida had just decided to try and go for it, but he was way too far to stop its plummet in time, Akira landed on the ground, smugly.  
He sped up time back to normal, just so he could actually hear the surprise and uproar in real time.

The entire gymnasium was in an incredulous riot, that was the first time Kamoshida had been actually outplayed for a long, long time. Takamaki was actually engaged in the game, now that Kamoshida had formidable competition. He could see Kasumi out from her hiding spot among the fangirls, she was openly cheering against Kamoshida, like the other anti-Kamoshida-ers. Ryuji had the most shit eating, smug ass, stupid look on his face when Akira looked back to the corner where he was once sitting. He gave a peace sign to Ryuji, satisfied grin on his face, Ryuji simply returned it even better with a thumbs up.  
The uproar was deafening, the awkward cheering out of obligation was now genuine excitement. Akira didn’t blame them, he’d be excited too if this crazy fool just showed up and started wiping the floor with some square jaw asshat, using his mophead as a mop to clean up his bullshit.  
  
Kamoshida had the most suppressed look of vehemently concealed rage on his face that he was so desperate to hide, Akira only gave him a blank death look back, which Kasumi noticed to her approval. He wordlessly motioned to continue the game, and boy, if they were playing hard ball before, they were playing diamond ball with how hard his spikes were going to be now.

-

The teacher team got the serve, Kamoshida obviously the server—And he aimed for the weakest point in their defense, but Akira’s third eye predicted his exact trajectory and returned the ball back to him, the returning shot was intentionally positioned to coax Kamoshida into going for a spike. Akira returned the favor, spiking Kamoshida’s very own spike straight down into the ground in midair. The crowd was going wild, it might as well be a one on one duel between Kamoshida and the framed transfer student, the other teachers and actual volleyball team members gladly stayed out of the fight for now. Many students were filming the match or the euphoria that had enveloped the room just recently, the crowd was comparable to a rocket launch in volume, people were screaming for the hell of it.  
It was 2-0, student’s favor for once in... forever, actually. Kamoshida got to serve yet again, quiet fury evident for anyone with eyes, or even a quarter of a brain. He forcefully and effectively served the ball, but it was as if the crimeboy already knew wherever he was going to send the ball, Akira was in Kamoshida’s head like a drill digging for gold, he would only find old past glory in his memory, however.  
3-0, the crowd somehow got even louder, 22 more serves and the set could be over, only 50 more after that and the game was won for the students for the first ever time during the rally’s.  
The teacher’s serve yet again, Kamoshida wasn’t serving this time, opting to wait for an incoming shot then spike it in the most sub-optimal place, as a reverse psychology mind game.  
Mishima had returned the shot, confident in his ability now that the odds had been evened. Kamoshida had feinted a spike straight into the furthest place from Akira’s reach, but then he aimed it basically straight down into the ground in a clean, practi s ed motion.  
Much to everyone’s including Akira’s astonishment, the team had intercepted, not Akira. Mishima had blocked the spike and sent it back toward Akira, somehow. If time was passing normally for Akira, he would have missed the shot he had, but after gawking in slow motion, he smacked the ball over the net, just out of Kamoshida’s reach, the ball looked like it would’ve went out of bounds, but it just barely somehow reached the inside edge of the goal. It looked like just a weird draft in the room, but it was really Arsene flapping its ghostly wings to cheat a point out of an otherwise missed shot. Akira almost laughed at the ingenuity, Arsene was truly another him.

The entire school was in a riot, they didn’t catch on to the little bit of cheating, but what they don’t know can’t hurt them, right? Students were filming the thing live, the event had been in recording by the tech team, but almost everyone was recording the nobody showing up a former Olympian.

Kamoshida now had a scowl plainly on his ugly mug, he served with a spike this time, it was aiming straight for Akira’s smug face, but Akira saw it coming before Kamoshida even thought about it, he expertly deflected the shot back over, almost professionally, Arsene influenced the trajectory just slightly, Kamoshida didn’t have time to repel the ball before another teacher shot the ball back over toward the student team. Another nameless student launched the ball back over, and Kamoshida aimed another spike with a one way ticket to the morgue with how fast the ball was travelling.  
In real time, anyway, the ball was still far too slow for Akira in his third eye, he wasn’t even breaking a sweat. He reflected the shot pragmatically, just looking at him on the street, you wouldn’t know he’s secretly Matt Anderson on steroids.  
Several rounds went by, the teacher’s team couldn’t get a single point on Akira, he would expertly return every single blazing fast spike without even complaining about the rashes any other normal person would get from the sheer impact.  
It was 16-0, the room went for bewildered to just silent awe at the sheer ability that the transfer was hiding from everyone, it was almost like the laws of time didn’t apply to him.  
  
_If only they knew.  
_  
It was set point, the awed silence morphed into manic excitement. Kamoshida wasn’t even bothering to hide his rage, he was sweating oceans. Ryuji was yelling obscenities at Kamoshida, no one noticed because of just how loud everyone else was. Ann was in shock, Kasumi was laughing at every failure Kamoshida accomplished in to cease the transfer’s monopoly on the game.  
Kamoshida served normally, no spike, his form masterful, but still not enough to match Akira’s impossible foresight and reaction time, courtesy of Igor.  
The volleyball team was shining with how well they were actually playing, Mishima had a smile on his face, actually having fun, the downtrodden look plastered on by Kamoshida was ancient history. Ryuji still shouting insults, no one even cared, they only cared of the absolute volleyball _god_ fighting a mere foolish volleyball king.  
Akira had just now started to break a sweat, his head hurt like hell from the prolonged use of third eye, but he was at least going to win a set without dropping a point, that would be a victory in itself. Mishima passed the serve to one of the other teammates, they actually went for a spike, Kamoshida was sloppy from overexertion, but he still managed to stop the ball from landing in the court.  
he couldn’t stop the dunk Akira performed, he clobbered the volleyball into the cold hard ground, the smack indicating the set was won, there was only 2 sets left to win, and Kamoshida would be disgraced.  
An eerie silence suffocated the room, the only sound being the ball rolling mindlessly along the wooden tiled floor. What could only be explained as a monstrous roar expunged from everyone sans the players in the room. A set had been taken off a former Olympian, Kamoshida, no less.  
  
The place was a furnace, hot as hell, with how much sweat polluted the air, most from all but Akira. The next set had started, 0-0. Kamoshida was likely out of juice, but the stubborn asshat was going to go down swinging.  
It was supposed to be the student’s serve any other day, but since the teachers were losing badly, Akira had given them the first turn out of courtesy. All of his friends plus Ann were cheering him on, they didn’t have a clue how he was beating Kamoshida to death at his own game, but they were in on the Akira bandwagon. Everyone else was much the same, shit has really hit the fan after a set was taken off Kamoshida, they were freaking the fuck out, for lack of a better term.  
The serve was given by none other than Kamoshida, and it was a harder spike serve seen than any before. the ball all but wheezed under the abuse. But Akira was an impenetrable force, he had taken worse beatings from demons, this volleyball game was a joke.  
Akira used his back like a mirror to launch the ball back up and float up to meteor the ball back downwards, he always launched the ball in the last place Kamoshida was expecting, it paid off that he could see his movements in advance. Igor really was a nice guy, despite all his weird features.

The ball finally gave up, it popped on impact with the floor, silence for just over half a second for everyone to rationalize what just happened, then an inconceivably colossal fanfare for the volleyball team plus the transfer student from heaven.  
A new ball had been provided by Ryuji, he smugly handed it to Kamoshida, shit eating grin on his face. It took all in Kamoshida’s power to not smash his face in from fury.  
The point had been taken, even though the ball had been utterly pulverized on landing, it still hit its mark. 1-0 in student’s favor.  
  
The game went on very similar to the last set, Akira’s impossibly perfected defense prevented Kamoshida from doing literally anything, and he would pragmatically counterattack with a calculated spike of his own, always just barely out of Kamoshida’s reach, as if taunting him.  
Kamoshida was wheezing from overexertion, he had never worked this hard or found an opponent so resilient back in his glory days.  
It was set point yet again, people were shouting meaningless words for the hell of it, this was the biggest spectacle in the history of Shujin: “Transfer student beats the king at his own game!” The newspaper club was already eating it up, before the conclusion was even clearly decided.  
Kamoshida didn’t have a single idea for what plan of attack to do, his brain just would not work, as Akira was already thirteen steps ahead of his every move, without fail.  
To not a soul’s surprise, Kamoshida got bodied by the crimeboy, it was a crime with just how good he was at volleyball, they couldn’t find a single trace of cheating in his gameplay, he was just simply on another level entirely, as if the laws of human limitation was void in his mind.

-

The ball exploded on contact with the ground again, excessive spikes in such a short time were too much for the physical plaything to handle, and it gave up.  
This was the last set of the game, there was still another game after this one, but Kamoshida might just have to cut that game given the circumstances.  
Ryuji provided yet another volleyball to Kamoshida, shit eating grin not even describable as a shit eating grin, just shit on his face, in excess.  
The last game was the most advanced any had ever seen, Kamoshida’s gameplay went from 23% to 99% in one game, on the third round he had scored a point against Akira, somehow.  
The crowd was in disarray, boos were plaguing the bleachers, Akira couldn’t lose now, there was too much riding on this game. It felt like a true grand finals.  
  
Kamoshida’s face screamed abhorrent death by the look he was displaying for Akira, his face was unreadable, but also readable. Similar to Kasumi’s death stare, but leagues above it in intensity.  
The score was 2-1, first to 25 points wins the game, set, and match.  
  
_Hoo boy, it was __**on.  
  
**_Kamoshida started with a mach 2 speed spike aiming directly at Akira’s face.  
  
  
  
_ Still too slow, gramps_  
  
Akira used his back as a shield, the pain almost made him cry, it felt like his skin was being melted off with a flaming nail gun.  
He yet again aimed the spike in the most obscure location possible, Kamoshida had since just tried going for random blocks, they didn’t work.

The ball hit the ground, 3-1.  
  
4-1,

5-1,

5-2,

5-3,

6-3,

7-3,

8-3,

8-4,

9-4,

9-5,

9-6,

9-7.  
  
The lines began to blur together for Akira, his deathly focus was faltering now. He had overused third eye minutes ago, and now he was paying for it. But he couldn’t just drop this game he wanted to win—he _ needed _ to win. The game was getting faster for him, normally that would’ve been good, but it was certainly not good, it went from a snail’s pace to about five times as slow as real time. This normally would’ve been enough to outsmart and outmaneuver Kamoshida, but he was also tired physically, he was sweating like a pig now, that made two, he supposed.  
Kamoshida was scoring because of his perfect defense suddenly becoming sluggish in comparison to before, his back hurt from blocking shots too much, and he might get permanent spinal damage if he did it any more. So he limited himself to blocking normally, with bumps and volleys. That did not prove to be as much of a match for tryhard Kamoshida, unfortunately.  
  
The score was in the twenties for the both of them, there were only about four rounds left before a winner would be decided, he was so tired he was going to fall asleep on the spot, his head hurt like his awakening but worse. But he would have to push through, just for the satisfaction of beating that asshole at his own game, Kamoshida looked dead too, he had since stopped sweating and only his hitched huffing and puffing remained.  
He couldn’t hear his friends, he did not hear the screaming and shouting of the crowd, he only heard the game, his footsteps, the squeaking of rubber against waxed wooden tiles, the ball being smacked professionally, and the sounds of his ears ringing on themselves.  
  
23-21,

23-22,

23-23,

24-23,

24-24.  
  
It was the game point for both teams, to everyone but Akira and Kamoshida, the crowd was louder than Ryuji screaming in public that he is a effin’ Phantom Thief, the guys that steal hearts.  
It was Akira’s serve, this was the last serve in the entire game, he had to make it count.  
Akira did the impossible, he served with a vile spike, it was headed on a bee line for Kamoshida’s unsuspecting mug.  
  
_ * _ _Thwack*  
_

The ball hit it’s mark: Kamoshida’s ugly mug.  
He did not much as flinch at the impact, until mere moments after, he fell slowly down to the ground with a punctual thump.  
The room was utterly tranquil; you could hear a pin drop from the other side of the room.

  
_ End Chapter _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cliffhanger gang
> 
> I am going to figure out a way to implement the "My Palace" feature into this fic, somehow. I'm thinking that it is a reward from Igor for being such an exemplary guest.  
Important notes:  
Time passes one sixth of real time in the Metaverse.  
Time is wacky in the Velvet Room, there can be enough time to stand around forever, or only so much time for a quick conversation, somehow.  
Time in "My Palace" is 1/12 of real time, a hour in the real world is a whole 12 hours in the... "Thieves' Guild".
> 
> Also an important note sbout the skills and level progression:  
Some Personas are going to have skills that they don't normally learn, like Maeiha and Eigaon for Arsene.  
There is not an eight slot skill limit in this fic.
> 
> Current skills:
> 
> Arsene: Eiha, Maeiha, Cleave, Dream Needle, Sukunda (not used yet as of chapter 13)
> 
> Zorro: Garu, Dia. He will get Lucky Punch soon probably.
> 
> Captain Kidd: Zio, Lunge, Tarukaja (also unused for now)
> 
> Cendrillon: Kouha, Lunge, (unused for now)  
Will learn these skills:  
Kouga, Makouha, Makouga, Kougaon, Makougaon, Giant Slice, Rising Slash, Heat Wave, Megaton Raid, Vorpal Blade, Sword Dance, Sukunda, Masukunda, Divine Judgement, other weird skills that fit.


	14. The Great Sinner of Lust Part XIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'd say Ah shit, here we go again, but the joke is dead now.
> 
> Here it is, folks.

-

Kamoshida had lost, the entire gym was in an uproar, students had since swarmed the volleyball court, Akira was drowning in students asking him if he was going to try and become an Olympian, or just people asking for his autograph, or asking to be his boyfriend, the list goes on.  
Ryuji was wading through the crowd trying to find his buddy, they had caused a massive scene, and the next match would likely be called off, he needed to get Akira away from his new crowd of fans before he suffocated in praise. Ryuji’s presence alone made a wedge in the circle around him, Ryuji pulled Akira away from the commotion and left the students to gawk at or be killed by Kamoshida.  
  
-

_Take your Time_  
  
-  
  
The two had somehow manage to escape to the weird hangout in the courtyard indoor pathway without being tailed, mostly because it was Ryuji with the new school idol, and since they needed to see if Kamoshida was even going to comment on the situation.

“Man, you _really _don’t know the meaning of laying low, don’t you?” Ryuji somehow wasn’t the one being reprimanded, he was actually the one doing the reprimanding.

“I couldn’t just sit down and take it! He picked a fight with me, so he got a fight with me.”  
  
“Ugh...” Ryuji massaged his temples. “Kamoshida in that other world is probably pissed right the fuck off at you now...”  
  
“I think you went from Captain Stupid to Captain Obvious right now...”  
  
“Hardy har har, but shit... how the fuck _did_ you beat him at volleyball?!”  
  
“I didn’t cheat, if that’s what you’re asking, Ryuji.”  
  
“What did you do...?”  
  
“Arsene _kind of cheated _for me.”

“Fuck it, whatever. We have to go find these people that were slaves, now that we have the chance. All of the team members should be here today.”  
  
The boy only nodded, people were likely already back in the halls, so he could question the volleyball team members about where they got all the bruises, and hopefully, one of them would talk.  
“The first guy that stood out was a guy from class D, you can start there. That’s your class, I’ll look around somewhere else.”  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time_  
  
-  
  
He had somehow managed to navigate to class 2-D without being swamped in his new fans.  
There were about five people here, all in the red gym attire. One of them was noticeably beaten and bruised in the corner, he was looking at some charts near the main chalk board.  
Akira approached the team member.  
“What...?” There was no way in hell that these were normal injuries, the upper left side of his face was covered in bandages, and something looked awfully sad in his right eye, the only one visible.  
“Are you skipping out on the volleyball rally? I guess I expect it from you, transfer. There’s nothing exciting to see there, just a one man show...”  
By the looks of it, this guy was skipping out on the entire rally, if he wasn’t aware of the beating he gave Kamoshida. How ironic.  
“How did you get injured?”  
The boy replied far too quickly, like he had said the same line many times before.

“It’s from practice! What does that have to do with anything?”  
Akira almost laughed at how much of a horrible liar this kid was, there was not a chance in hell they were normal training bruises.  
“So training involves dress-up games where you pretend to be a mummy? There’s not a chance in hell anyone’s buying your bullshit: you look like a toilet paper monster.”  
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about...!”  
“Look, I won’t tell anybody that you squealed. I just want to know if he’s beating you guys up?”  
  
The boy did not respond, silence was as good as admittance.  
  
“...You’re a coward.” Akira stated the obvious.  
  
“I’m not...! You’re talking complete nonsense!”  
Akira only sighed, this guy was useless, he just walked out of the classroom, and before he could even find his phone to send Ryuji a message, he got a message from the very same person.  
  
\---IM---  
  
Ryuji: no luck with my guy  
  
Ryuji: what about u  
  
Akira: he’s a coward, wouldn’t admit it, just kept on saying rehearsed bullshit  
  
Ryuji: your next guy is in class C in the classroom building

Ryuji: third year students are on the 1st floor and first years are on the 3rd

Ryuji: im in the practice building rn im taking down guys that are in this side of the school your taking down the guys in the classroom side

Akira: fine by me  
  
The messages ended, for now.  
  
\---  
  
Akira made haste for the first floor, he found the C classes, and a couple of male students in gym clothes were loitering around the doors. He approached the team members, one of them was beaten.  
  
They were saying some rabble about the rally, they took notice of him swiftly.  
  
“...You got something to say?”  
  
“How did you get hurt?” Akira stated the same question again, these guys looked like third years, so they might be a bit more mature and willing to admit the beatings.  
  
“They’re from practice. What else are they from?”  
  
It took all of Akira’s self restraint to not list off things like physical abuse, corporal punishment, extreme training regimens, et cetera.  
  
“I don’t know, maybe you have something you wanna say?” Akira accused almost a little smugly.  
  
“Our volleyball team performs at a national level. Of course our practices are gonna be tough.”  
  
Akira couldn’t resist the quip. “For a national level team, you guys sure are bad. It’s either that, or everyone is just trash outside of this school. Or they’re being paid off to lose...”  
  
“This is going nowhere.” One of them tried to derail the conversation, that attempt was as good as admittance yet again. “Your opinion of our performance has nothing to do with this conversation, get lost.”  
This kid was really trying to act smart and tough, it was pretty cute.  
“I guess all the corporal punishment got to your brains... It’s unfortunate, really.”  
  
They tried to cover up their give away reaction, but it failed. Whatever bullshit they were conjuring to deflect his statement that hit home, Akira ignored, they obviously weren’t going to talk.  
  
He opened his IM’s again.  
  
\---IM---  
He continued the previous thread.

Akira: no luck again, they keep on saying bullshit. Even though they clearly had a knee jerk reaction to my accusation of corporal punishment

Ryuji: leave em i got more guys anyway

Ryuji: next guy is is a first year in class B

Ryuji: the guy is new so he might not be wrapped up in kamoshitheads web of bullshit yet

Akira: on it  
  
\---  
  
Akira filed through the students up onto the third floor, class B was up two floors from his previous witnesses.  
He got a message from Ryuji again by the looks of it.  
  
\---IM---  
It was not Ryuji, he quickly found out.  
  
Kasumi: where r u guys?

This is the first text he had ever gotten from a girl.  
  
Akira: looking for witnesses  
  
He had just noticed Ryuji was also part of this group chat.  
  
Ryuji: we r looking for witnesses  
  
Ryuji: now that akira went and made a distraction for us  
  
Kasumi: yeah, i can see that  
  
Akira: besides this, we have witnesses to look for, we only have so much time  
  
No more messages came through after that.  
  
\---  
  
He had found a shy looking team member loitering in similar fashion to the last witness, although this one was alone. Akira entered his general vicinity.  
  
“Huh...?”  
  
“Are you a part of the volleyball team?”  
  
“Y-Yeah... I’m on the volleyball team. Whaddya want?”

“I need some information.”  
  
“...For what?”  
  
“The state of the volleyball team.”  
  
“Like I’ve been telling people, there’s nothing weird going on!”  
Akira caught him in his trap, he said that he has been telling people, implying that others have asked him the same question before.  
“You’re implying that you have told people the same thing over and over. I know Kamoshida’s abusing the team, but we just need confirmation to prove it.”  
  
“Wh-What are you talking about?! Kamoshida does nothing of the sort! But Mishima-senpai told me that the “Special Coaching” is a little too extreme, though...”  
Akira almost snorted at the slip up, he just gave him a name and some new information about some “Special Coaching”, more like a class where he beats you half to death.  
Akira left him alone, he had a new witness to find, and the person he was talking to had outlived his usefulness.  
The bell rung just as he left, however.  
_“All matches have been concluded. Please get ready to go home for today...”  
_He promptly got a text from Ryuji.  
  
\---IM---  
  
Ryuji: we are out of time  
  
Ryuji: did you get anything  
  
Akira: take a wild guess.  
  
Ryuji: no luck either huh  
  
Ryuji: we should regroup in the courtyard okay  
  
\---  
  
_End Chapter_


	15. The Great Sinner of Lust Part XIV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah, sh-
> 
> Stop it, get some help.

  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time  
  
_-  
  
He had arrived back in the lounge where they had previously split up. Ryuji wasn’t here yet, he likely was stuck yelling about how he was an effin’ Phantom Thief in the middle of the hallway. (That was the part where you laugh at the five star comedy that I made in five seconds.)  
Akira was looking through one of the two vending machines, nothing looked good, just a bunch of half assed knockoffs of major brand names... Dr. Salt? Fountain Dew? Koke Koala? These names were almost funny.  
  
He could just barely register footsteps behind him before a voice with a noticeable American accent addressed him.  
“Can I talk to you for a sec...?”  
  
It was Takamaki from his homeroom class, the real one.  
He replied halfheartedly. “What do you need?”  
  
“It’ll be quick.” She said.  
“Anyway, what are you trying to pull here? Like, how you being late yesterday was a lie and all. And then there is that performance you just pulled twenty minutes ago... There’s also that weird rumor going around about you... How you actually did assault someone and how your whole speech was apparently a lie.”  
  
_That asshole was already at it._  
  
She was about to continue her list of things she knows about him until a new presence arrived.  
“Whaddya want with him?” It was Ryuji, he was finally done with yelling how he was an effin’ Phantom Thief in the halls, and came to Akira’s rescue.  
  
“Right back at you. You’re not even in our class.” She stated the obvious.  
  
It sounded like he intentionally... “thuggified” his next sentence.  
“...We just happened to get to know each other.”  
  
She wasn’t intimidated by his thuggified sentence. “What’re planning to do to Mr. Kamoshida...?”  
  
Ryuji somehow was surprised. “Huh?!”  
“...I see. I getcha.”  
He vilified his next sentence in comparison to his thuggifiying earlier. “You’re all _buddy-buddy_ with Kamoshida after all.”  
  
She still wasn’t intimidated by him. “This has _nothing_ to do with you, Sakamoto!”  
  
His lour turned to a pitiful look. “If you found out about the shit he’s been doin’ behind your back, you’d dump him right away.”  
  
His intimidation had finally worked. “Behind my back...? What’s that supposed to mean...?”  
  
An uncomfortable silence prevailed, Ryuji was staring at Akira. The teen in question remained silent, his eyes hidden behind the sheen of his large glasses.  
Ryuji dismissed. “...You wouldn’t get it.”  
  
She didn’t seem to care, the sour tone returned. “...Anyway, people are already talking about you two. And more importantly, _him_.”  
  
She directed her apprehension toward him. “I don’t know how you beat him, or what you’re trying to pull... But nobody’s gonna help you.” She ran her hand through her pigtail. “I’m warning you, just in case. That’s all.”  
She promptly left the two to their own reasons.  
  
He waited until she had likely been out of earshot. “Why’s she gotta be so aggressive all the time...?”  
  
“You know her?” Akira needed some information on the current situation.  
  
“We just went to the same middle school.” He nodded his head, tone urgent. “Anyways, that’s not what we’re here to talk about.” He scratched the back of his head while kicking the ground. “I had no luck on my end. What about you? Did anything like... someone’s name turn up?”  
  
_“Mishima.”_

“Huh...?” He seemed to know this person, the name seemed familiar to Akira, but he couldn’t quite recall.  
“...Special “coaching,” huh?” He took a moment to digest. “True. I always see the guy covered in bruises. Let’s go talk to ‘im before he leaves then.”  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time  
  
_-  
  
They somehow found him just as he was heading for the front doors, he had blue hair. It was the guy on the team Akira was playing with, he remembered.  
  
Ryuji got up a little closer than necessary. “Hey, got a second?” Worded more like a demand than a question.  
  
“Sakamoto...?” He had bruises and a slapstick adhesive bandage on the side of his face.  
“And you, too...?!”  
  
“C’mon, we just wanna chat.” He folded his arms. “Kamoshida’s been “coaching” you, huh?”  
  
The boy did not respond.  
  
“You sure it’s not just physical abuse?”  
  
Akira could tell the lie a mile away. “Certainly not...!”  
  
“What're ya talkin’ all polite for? Anyways... We saw ‘im spike a guy in the rally this morning, right in the face.”  
  
“That’s just because... that guy isn’t good at the sport...”  
  
Normally it would be rude, but Kamoshida wasn’t really coaching them how to be better. So it was understandable that they were awful.  
“...Still, that don’t explain all the other bruises the team has.”  
  
“They’re from practice...!”  
  
Ryuji got to the point. “Is he forcin’ you to keep quiet?”  
  
“That’s...”  
  
A cursed voice chimed into their interrogation, the person in question had a plainly visible bruise on his face.  
“What’s going on here? Mishima, isn’t it time for practice?”  
  
The person in question shrunk almost comically at the man’s presence, the beating he would be getting since Kamoshida’s pride had been sullied would be incomparable to any other personal beating the boy had taken.  
“I-I’m not feeling well today...” He had a resigned expression openly broadcasted.  
  
“What? Maybe you’re better off quitting then.”  
  
The boy was shocked but he was so physically exhausted he only could half turn up his gaze to the teacher.  
  
“You’re never going to improve that crappy form unless you show up to practice.”  
  
Ryuji had had enough of this mophead’s bullshit, his voice was laced in underlying malice. “Didn’t you hear? He ain’t feelin’ well!”  
  
The mophead ignored the accusation. “Well, Mishima? Are you coming to practice or not?”  
  
“...I’ll go.” Akira could feel the despair radiating off the boy in front of him.  
  
Kamoshida got up in the blonde’s personal space. “As for you, any more trouble and you’ll be gone from the school for good.”  
  
Ryuji openly seethed. “..._Bastard_...”  
  
“...Same goes for you, crimeboy. Cause any trouble and you’ll be gone as well.”  
  
Akira inwardly laughed at the mophead, trying to threaten him after being beaten at his own game? What a fool.  
“...You should change your training regimens, a nice change of pace from the usual routines should work wonders for your team, Mr. Kamoshida.”  
  
Ryuji followed up with a thinly veiled accusation. “Kinda hard to improve when all you’re doing in your practice rounds is being beaten...” His voice was low near the end, Kamoshida likely knew what they were implying.  
  
“Tch... this is going nowhere. All these unsettling rumors circling around the school is making everyone here who actually want to learn uneasy...”

“_That’s your own goddamn fault.” _Ryuji plainly stated, referring to how Kamoshida started this shitstorm.

“This won’t get us anywhere... Let’s go, Mishima.”  
The man went toward the gymnasium, he spoke, not even turning his neck even a little to the students behind him.  
“...Just remember your victory. For it may be your last...”  
He left around the corner, the tension alleviated for now.  
  
“That asshole... He’s gonna pay for this bullshit!” Ryuji was Ryuji in that moment.  
  
The meek boy spoke up. “...There’s no point.”  
  
Ryuji was the only one with a reaction. “Huh?!”  
  
“Proving that he’s physically abusing us... is meaningless. Everybody knows... The principal, our parents... They all know, and they all keep quiet about it.”  
  
Ryuji’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “This has gotta be a joke...!”  
  
“...Don’t be a pain. You have no idea what I’m going through. Shouldn’t you of all people know that nothing’s going to help...?!”

“......!”  
  
The boy had run off toward the gym.  
  
“Dammit...” Ryuji sulked.  
  
Akira spoke up for the first time in this entire conversation. “...Are you going to give up?”  
  
“...I’ll try one more time to persuade the other guys. That’s... all I can do.”

_End Chapter_


	16. The Great Sinner of Lust Part XV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah-
> 
> Stop it, get some help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is going to be a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate crossover in this fic, the game is exactly the same except that Joker and the Persona content is not in the game. The DLC is the same except for Joker not being in the fighters pass.  
So it's The Hero, Banjo & Kazooie, Terry Bogard, and whoever the last DLC fighter is.  
Joker will still be in the game (Smash Ultimate), but not in a way but a few readers will expect.  
I don't know if the little crossover warrants putting Smash Bros. into the fandom tags, so if some people could comment their opinion, that would be great.

-

_Take your Time  
  
_ -  
  
The boy had returned to Leblanc, he was completely exhausted, his back hurt like a motherfucker, but that asshole would get the pain back tenfold, once he was behind bars. Boss didn’t bother him to do something on his way into his home, so he wordlessly trudged up the old wooden stairs.

‘_I’m tired from all that stuff that happened today... I think I should head to sleep soon.’  
  
_He wandered around his room, assessing his situation and the potential for repurposement of his environment. The weird sacks of stuff above the rack with the cardboard box with his belongings in it. The empty table adjacent to the old but comfy sofa. Said sofa being quite sturdy despite it’s apparent age. The large work table with a transparent tarp over it, the contents under it only describable as mismatched rubbish and books. The musty window looking out at nothing but a boring wall for the bathhouse across from Leblanc. His futon laid out upon some crates, the contents of which unknown. His recently cleaned bookshelf with nothing on it save a couple of generic magazines, and the broken dusty fan atop, he had to throw that out soon. The dreaded junk tarp with a... ladder, old bike, weird furnace, a plant, and a few orange plastic jerrycans, with their contents empty or contained, unknown.  
  
He sat down on the sofa, his legs protesting from his pacing.  
‘_Why do the parents and the school just accept his abuse...?’  
_He was about to just hit the hay and think about all his problems later when he got another text from Ryuji.  
  
\---IM---  
  
Ryuji: this shit doesnt make any damn sense  
  
Ryuji: the princple and the parents know about it  
  
Ryuji: why aint nobody give a fuck  
  
Akira: maybe kamoshida is being covered for by the principal, he lets him beat the fuck out of the team members while kamoshida gives the school fame bc he’s an olympian  
  
Ryuji: that aint the only thing tho right

Ryuji: its bc kamoshida made the volleyball team famous  
  
Ryuji: so they let him do whatever the fuck he wants  
  
Ryuji: but that doesnt give him the right to abuse his team half to death!

Ryuji: hes beating kids up and all they r allowed to do is take it  
  
Ryuji: and that follower of hid doesnt give a flying fuck  
  
Akira: you mean takamaki?  
  
Ryuji: yeah ann takamaki we met her in the courtyard when she decided to be nosy  
  
Ryuji: u should know her shes in ur class dude  
  
Ryuji: this is bullshit  
  
Akira: gee, I didn’t know that this was bullshit, ryuji  
  
Ryuji: but i cant let it end like this  
  
Ryuji: im gonna try and find someone who knows about what that assholes been doing during break tomorrow  
  
Ryuji: just you watch bc im not done yet  
  
Akira: k then.  
  
\---  
  
Akira put his phone on the bookshelf, and went to sleep, thankful Ryuji spared him of his rambling.

_ **\- 4/14 Thursday -** _

_ **  
** _ “ Did you see Mr. Kamoshida yesterday? He totally got smoked by that transfer student!”  
Akira was gathering rumors on his way to the prison, just like yesterday. He could only hope today would be more peaceful than the last.  
“But isn’t the transfer a criminal? Word around is that he was lying about his record.”  
  
_ Bullshit.  
  
_ -  
  
_ Take your Time  
  
_ -  
  
He was slogging through class, it was another lecture from the old dude he couldn’t care less about.  
He got a vibration from his phone.  
  
\---IM---  
  
Ryuji: so about witnesses  
  
Ryuji: do you think we could get something out of takamaki  
  
Akira: since she’s with kamoshida?  
  
Ryuji: no that aint it  
  
Ryuji: hear me out  
  
Ryuji: u know how we didnt get shit outta the volleyball team  
  
Ryuji: i figured it would be a good idea to talk to someone who knows them  
  
Ryuji: takamaki is bffs with a starter named suzui  
  
Ryuji: i tried to get something out of her during break but nothing  
  
Kasumi: We’re in class, you know?  
  
Akira had just realized Kasumi was also part of this chat.  
  
Akira: id like if you’d stop blowing up my phone every time before i go to bed  
  
Ryuji: but this is a important stratehgy meeting!  
  
Kasumi: If you get caught, it isn’t our fault; me and him are not a part of your buffoonery.  
  
Akira had to suppress a laugh.  
  
Ryuji didn’t respond for a while, no indications of him typing were present.  
  
Akira: did he get caught?  
  
Kasumi: I hope so.  
  
Akira: lmao  
  
Ryuji: ANYWAY  
  
Ryuji: i was thinking if we could get yoshizawa or takamaki to try and talk to suzui  
  
Kasumi: Who?  
  
Ryuji: shiho suzui shes takamakis best friend  
  
Akira: if ann doesnt cooperate then i guess it’s up to you  
  
Kasumi: No pressure, huh?  
  
Ryuji: oh shit! im in class!  
  
Kasumi: You just figured that out?  
  
Akira didn’t need to add fuel to the fire, one of them were going to get caught eventually.  
  
\---  
  
-

_ Take your Time  
  
_ -  
  
School was out for the day, Akira had opted to take a look around the practice building, it would be important to get the lay of the land if he was going to be here for a whole year.  
There was a girl in the way of the door to the inner courtyard walkway on the first floor, she was looking at her phone with a dead expression.  
  
Akira stopped in front of her, he had just recognized her as Shiho Suzui, best friend of Ann Takamaki, the girl of rumor.  
  
“......”  
  
Something in her eyes looked awfully sad.  
  
“...What?”  
  
He stayed silent, her shaky gaze depressing.  
  
“Oh... I’m in the way, aren’t I? Sorry...”  
  
“I’m sorry too.”  
  
“Hm...? You don’t look familiar. Could you be the transfer student from class D?”  
  
He only nodded.  
  
“...Well, this might not be any of my business, but... Don’t let the rumors get to you, okay...?”  
  
Akira was inwardly shocked at her compassion, despite her looks of being completely dead on the inside, she had infinite kindness to give out to the people that needed it.  
“Why do you say that?”  
  
“Well, I’ve helped people with similar situations before...”  
  
He could plainly see the bruises on her face, he was going to kill that bastard.  
  
“...My best friend is often misunderstood too, all because of her looks...”  
  
Something was wrong in her eyes, it was as if life has simply vacated the location on her face.  
  
“Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to drag on like that. I have to be to practice... I’ll see you around.  
  
She walked past him, depression laced in her entire demeanor.  
He felt sorry for her, he was going to get that motherfucker right back tenfold, he’ll rue the day he laid his grimy hands on anyone.

-

He arrived back at the usual spot.  
  
“Dammit. What the hell...!”  
  
Akira stated the obvious lacking of something. “Did you find anyone?”  
  
“Is that what it looks like...?”  
  
He elbowed the plastic window of a vending machine, the same red one he was leering at yesterday, the poor thing.  
“All of ‘em kept sayin’ the same bullshit Mishima was talkin’ about...! Kamoshida had to have told ‘em something!”  
  
He could hear a clank, something fell down from the vending machine, Ryuji’s abuse had paid off. Ryuji grabbed one of the three things that fell down, a bottle of Dr. Salt. He also picked up a Fountain Dew, and another Dr. Salt. He did it all too nonchalantly, he handed a Fountain Dew to Akira wordlessly.  
  
A new presence had arrived, it was none other than Kasumi, she was not in her uniform, opting for some basic casual clothes, a basic white shirt under a red hoodie, and some black jeans. It looked like she was just leaving, and came across Ryuji’s scene.  
  
“Hey, you two!” The girl shined with positive energy, somehow it didn’t look fake to Akira. Maybe she had perfected the art of lying.  
  
“Huh? Oh, hey, Yoshizawa-san.” Ryuji’s scowl went back to a slight smile.  
  
“Are you gonna drink that?” She pointed to the other soda bottle in his hand, he handed it over to her kindly.  
  
“Where were you?” Akira casually queried.

“Practice.”  
Ryuji and Akira’s face turned apprehensive instantly, she dismissed their fears.  
“He hasn’t started the beatings, or started getting handsy... _Yet_. If he tries something he’ll have no blood left in his body, when I’m done beating him to death with his own leg.”  
The boys somehow believed her threat, and the previous conversation continued.  
  
“...Anyway, at this rate, it looks like we have no choice but to go to him directly....”  
  
“...There’s no point.” Akira plainly said.  
  
Ryuji sighed dramatically, Kasumi was only silent, sipping on her treat.  
“I know... The principal is coverin’ for him, there is not a single fuckin’ thing we can do to bring him down...!”  
  
A silence prevailed, the only sounds being Ryuji's awkward shuffling of his feet, and Kasumi quietly sipping her Dr. Pepper knockoff.  
  
“...There’s no way in hell I’m just giving in like this!” Ryuji complained to no avail. “Can you think of anything...?!” The question was directed at the other boy, the girl was busy inhaling the rest of the bottle.  
  
“...”  
“......”  
Akira finally broke the silence. “...How about a sneak attack?”  
  
Normally it would be stupid to try, but they were out of options as is.  
“That’d be fine if we could to it without gettin’ caught, but... If we do get caught, we’ll be fuckin’ boned...” He returned to the previous question. “Ya got any other ideas...?”  
  
Akira tried plan B. “We should call the cops.”  
  
“So you wanna tell ‘em about the castle? They’d never believe us...” Back to square one yet again. “Have any other ideas...? What do we do...?”  
  
A good minute passed of the three wracking their brains to no avail, Ryuji was discreetly looking at Kasumi for eye candy while he tried to find his brain.  
  
Akira had an idea, involving the other world, Morgana had called it the Metaverse.  
“Let’s punish the king.”  
  
Ryuji’s brain had shut down, so he didn’t get what Akira was implying for a moment.  
“The king...?” He scratched his head vigorously. ”Oh, you mean that other world’s Kamoshida?” He kicked the ground, one of his trademark fidgets. “I didn’t think of that, but... Is there any meaning to—“  
  
_“I finally found you...” _  
  
Ryuji was confused at the new boyish voice, Akira hadn’t said anything, and Kasumi was likely incapable of speaking in such a manner.  
“...You guys hear somethin’?”

  
A black cat jumped up onto the plastic table they were encircling, everyone finally noticed its presence.  
“Don’t think you can just get away with not paying me back for helping you guys.”  
  
The blonde was taken aback. “That voice... Is that you, Morgana?!”  
  
“How dare you, up and leaving me the first time!”  
  
Ryuji’s voice was shrill. “The cat’s talkin’...!?”  
  
“ I am _ NOT _ a cat! This is just what happened when I came to this world!” The cat reprimanded the blonde. “It was a _ lot _ of trouble finding you fools!”  
  
“Wait...” His tone still incredulous. “You came to _ our _ world?!” He over dramatically questioned the cat. “...! Does that mean you’ve got a phone?!” Kasumi was mostly silent at the interaction so far, but she had to facepalm at the blonde’s antics, Akira had only chuckled at the spectacle.  
  
“Ugh,” the cat started bragging. “you don’t need one when you’re at my level... I did get pretty lost making my escape, though.” He groomed his paw.  
  
Ryuji asked aggressively, pumping his fist for no apparent reason. “That aside, why can you talk?! You’re a cat!”  
  
The cat in question responded flippantly. “How should I know?!”  
  
Ryuji finally paid attention to his other human accomplices. “You guys hearin’ this too...?”  
  
“Meow?” Akira looked genuinely confused at Ryuji’s sentence, as if he was also a cat.

Kasumi also joined in on the foolery.  
“Mrow...?”  
The cat also made a human imitation of a cat meowing.  
“ Meeeoooooooow...?”  
  
“This is no time to be jokin’ around!” Ryuji was exasperated at their foolishness.  
  
“You guys are having a rough time of this, hm? I heard you mention something about witnesses.” Morgana’s plan was in motion, unbeknownst to the humans around him.  
  
“Oh, shuddup!” Ryuji complained about something, not really known to Akira.  
  
“...You know, I could tell you a thing or two to do about Kamoshida. You _ were _ pretty close just a moment ago.”  
  
“God, that condescendin’ attitude! This thing’s gotta be Morgana!” Ryuji announced.  
  
“You were still doubting me?!” Morgana was angry.  
  
Ryuji made a sound that could only be described as his liver shutting down before speaking.  
“Ack...! Quiet down!”  
  
A new voice presented itself, the source of the voice being the indoor walkway not very far from the lounge.  
“We really have to be looking for a cat in a busy time like this...?” It was some kind of adult, there was another one in a similar uniform to first one.  
“I just heard a meow somewhere near here. Didn’t you hear it?”  
The other adult only sighed. “...Make sure you check every nook and cranny around.”  
They continued down away from the three teens and the monster cat.  
  
“Meow...?” Ryuji mused. “Does that mean only we can understand what you’re sayin’?”  
  
“Looks like it.” Morgana plainly said.  
  
“ What the hell’s goin’ on...? Anyways,” Ryuji went back to the previous topic. “what you were talkin’ about earlier... Is it for real?”  
  
“You’re quite the skeptic for being an idiot...” Morgana brooded.  
  
“Hey, tell us more. Then again, this probably ain’t the best place...”  
Ryuji looked around as if to make sure no one else besides the three were watching what he was about to do.  
“Here,” He snatched up the cat by the collar roughly. The cat protested vehemently, but the boy continued. “stick it in the bag for now! It should be just small enough to fit!”  
  
“HEY ! How dare you treat me like—“  
  
-  
  
_ Take your Time _  
  
-

  
_ End Chapter _


	17. The Great Sinner of Lust Part XVI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A-
> 
> Stop it,-
> 
> Stop it, get some help.
> 
> Probably the shortest in word count but whatever.

-  
  
The three plus the monster cat in Akira’s schoolbag had retreated to the roof, away from prying eyes judging them for talking to a cat.  
  
“...Don’t be so rough with me!” The bag had been “laid” onto the floor of the roof, Morgana was not happy with Ryuji’s treatment of Akira’s schoolbag.  
  
“Enough of that!” Ryuji said.”You said you know how we can do something about Kamoshida, right?”  
  
The cat appeared to forget the previous abuse. “It has to do with what Joker was talking about earlier. You’ll need to attack his castle directly.”  
  
“You mean that weird ass castle...?”  
  
“Yep, that castle is how Kamoshida’s distorted heart views the school. He doesn’t realize what happens in there, but it’s still deeply connected to the depths of his heart.” The cat licked his paw, and rubbed the side on his black nose. “...Thus, if the castle were to, say... disappear, that would naturally impact the real Kamoshida.”  
  
Ryuji started to cross his arms. “What’d happen?”  
  
“A Palace is a physical manifestation of the ruler’s distorted desires. So, if that castle were to become no more...” It looked like a subtle question, Ryuji didn’t get the hint, and Kasumi had stayed silent as always.  
  
“His vile intentions would vanish too.” He unpocketed his hands for that statement.  
  
“Exactly, Joker! You sure pick things up swiftly.” The black and white house cat praised the teen.  
  
“For real?! He’s gonna turn good?! But...” His face turned apprehensive. “is that really gettin’ back at ‘im?”  
  
“Erasing a Palace essentially means forcing the ruler the have a change of heart. _However_, even though their warped wants cease to exist, the crimes they committed in the real world remain. Kamoshida will become unable to bear the sheer weight of those crimes, and he will very likely turn himself in to the authorities.”  
  
“You for real?! That’s possible?!”  
  
Morgana continued mischievously. “_And_ since the palace will no longer exist, Kamoshida will forget about everything we did there to boot.” The cat rubbed his forehead. “Not only will we be able to bring Kamoshida down, there also will not be a _single_ trace of our involvement!”  
  
“That’s amazing! You are one incredible cat!” Ryuji praised Morgana for the first time, and probably for the last time.  
  
“True,” His tone swiftly turned sour. “except for the cat part!”  
  
“So? How do we get rid of the Palace?!”

“By stealing the treasure held within.” The cat got up from it’s sitting position.  
  
“Stealing...?” Ryuji was confused yet again.  
  
“Stealing what?” Kasumi spoke for the first time in the entire conversation, the other two besides Akira had completely forgot about her presence.  
  
“...I’ll tell you guys more once you agree to go ahead with this. It _is_ my most valuable, secret plan, after all. You wanna help me out, I’ll gladly teach you. What’s your call?”  
  
Akira was going to reply, but Ryuji did that for him. “Our luck’s runnin’ dry lookin’ for witnesses. Guess we have no choice but to go along...”  
  
Akira backed up his statement. “There’s no other way.”  
  
The cat spoke. “...Good.” he licked his paw then quickly stopped to explain. “Oh, right. There’s one more thing I should tell you guys. If we erase a palace, there is no doubt that their distorted desires will be erased as well. ...But desires are what we all need in order to survive. The will to sleep, eat, fall in love—those sorts of things.”  
  
Akira hit the mark on the head. “So, the catch is that they might go braindead if we’re not careful?”  
  
“Yep, if all of those yearning were to disappear, they’d be no different from someone who has shut down entirely... They may even die if they’re not given proper care. So...”  
  
“They might die...?!” Ryuji cried, the other two humans remained stone faced.  
  
“Will you listen to everything I have to say first?” Morgana admonished.  
  
Ryuji continued regardless. “Would their death be our fault...?”  
  
“Aren’t you determined enough to face those kinds of risks?” The cat deadpanned.  
  
“Hey...” Ryuji asked the two other humans in the vicinity. “What do ya think we should do?”  
  
“I don’t know about killing him, he’s done some bad shit... But just killing him would put a bad taste in my mouth.” Akira voiced his opinion.  
  
Kasumi’s opinion was similar. “I won’t miss him, and I’m sure many, many others share that sentiment... But the death penalty is too far, and I’d rather not become an accessory to murder even if they won’t find out about the Palace...”  
  
Ryuji uttered a rare sombre “for real”, Akira made sure to remember such an event and hold it close to heart.  
  
“Sheesh... I come all this way, and this is what I get. It’s not like anyone will ever find out.”  
  
Ryuji did the trademark stomp of his foot and pumping motion of his fist. “That’s not the point! If we just go around doin’ whatever we want, we’d be no better than that fucker Kamoshida...!”  
  
“Isn’t this your only option?” He gave a tired look, if a cat could actually give a tired look.

“...I’ll come back later. Make sure you’ve made your decision by then.”

The cat scrammed, running into the old door and down the stairs, presumably escaping somewhere where he wouldn’t be found.  
  
“Man, we’re gettin’ all worked up for nothing... Dammit!” He took a moment to calm down his nerves. “...I’ll try and see if I can find another way. C’mon, let’s get outta here.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time  
  
_-  
  
Akira had made it out to the school gates, it wasn’t too early, but he should probably head home without making any detours for the day.  
  
*_**Pi Pi Pi Pi*  
  
**_\---IM---  
  
Ryuji: hay i heard something thaat got my attention  
  
Ryuji: about that suzui gril  
  
Ryuji: looks like rumors are going up between her and kmaoshida  
  
Ryuji: if there true its no wonder i couldnt get her to talk  
  
Ryuji: still something just doesnt seem right  
  
Akira: do you know something?  
  
Ryuji: its nothing too clear but  
  
Ryuji: ive known takamaki and suzui since middle school  
  
Ryuji: there is not a chance in hell kamoshida is their type you know  
  
Ryuji: so  
  
Ryuji: i gotta wonder where those rumors came form  
  
Ryuji: well whatever ill try asking around some more  
  
\---  
  
_‘___There’s nothing left for me to do today. I should go straight home...’  
  


_End Chapter_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can someone actually tell me if I should put Smash bros. in the fandom tags?


	18. The Great Sinner of Lust Part XVII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The joke is seriously dead.
> 
> But two updates in a day is pretty good.

-

-

  
_Take your Time  
  
-  
  
_Akira had arrived back to Shibuya, he needed to take a transfer to get to Yongen before Sojiro murdered him.  
Unfortunately again, fate had other plans for the Trickster.  
  
“Will you please give it a rest?! I told you, I’m not feeling up to it...” A familiar voice was in the crowd of people loitering around the station square near central street.  
It was Ann Takamaki, she was talking to somebody on the phone, and she was in an argument. Other people paid her no mind, but Akira couldn’t help but hear the frightened desperation in her tone.  
  
By the looks of it, the person on the other line had said something she didn’t like. “Wait, what...?! That’s not what you promised! And you call yourself a _teacher_?!”  
He caught the teacher part, now that he thought about it, it was likely Kamoshida harassing her on the other line.  
“This has nothing to do with Shiho!”

_It was definitely Kamoshita on the other line._

He could hear the line go dead from his current distance, the bastard had hung up on her.  
  
“Ah...!” She seemed to be in extreme distress, she likely was in big trouble with Kamoshida now.  
  
She kneeled down in a fetal position, still on her feet but clearly in distress. Akira couldn’t just let that asshole get away with doing this to people.  
  
“Shiho’s... starting position...” She was likely trying to fight off a breakdown.

He had to help her, he approached her a tad awkwardly.  
  
She swiftly noticed his presence and backed away onto her feet.  
“Wait... Were you listening?”  
  
“Not intentionally, although... It_ is _a little hard to ignore something like this.”  
  
She was aggravated. “Haven’t you heard of privacy?”  
“......”  
“...No, I was out of line. Sorry.” She apologized.  
She went to wipe away tears that weren’t there.  
“So, how much did you hear...?”  
  
“Enough to know it was Kamoshida being intrusive on his students.”  
  
“...It’s nothing at all.” Her tone was final.  
She turned to leave while saying. “Nothing...”  
  
-  
  
_‘I wonder what happened. I should see if Takamaki is alright...’  
_

She had fled down into one of the underground passageways, he needed to follow her.  
He jogged over to the stairs and caught a fleeting glimpse of her turning the corner toward a set of escalators that went downwards. He followed that and saw her turn right, he couldn’t lose her now.

  
_This fucking sucks._

_  
_There was a sea of people down here, she had likely slipped away in the time it took him to try and find her. It couldn’t hurt to look, even though she was likely gone like a (phantom) thief in the night.  
He was looking for red pantyhose in a sea of generic hunchback businessmen and students from other schools.  
Upon consulting his third eye, he had found obvious glowing footprints, that led to a red silhouette upon a green pillar, it was her, she was staring toward the green pillar for some reason, likely to blend in. He approached the girl, and she turned around at his presence.  
  
“Stop following me... Just leave me alone!”  
  
“Calm down.”  
  
“Why...? Why do you keep worrying about me? *sob*”  
  
“Let’s go somewhere safe.”  
  
“...What the heck? I really don’t get you...”  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time  
  
_-  
  
“I don’t have anything to talk about with you. It was just an argument...”  
  
They were in the Central Street diner, Akira had led her to the first place that looked good.  
  
_‘__It seems like she is really stressed out...’  
_  
“An argument with Kamoshida about Suzui’s starting position?”  
  
“How did you...?”  
  
“You were likely talking to Kamoshida, you said something about Suzui’s starting position when he hung up, must I go on?”  
  
“So you’ve heard the rumors... haven’t you? About Mr. Kamoshida. Everyone says we’re getting it on. But... that’s so not true...! That was him on the other line. I avoided giving him my number... for the longest time... He told me to go to his place after this... You know what it means. If I turn him down, he said he’d take my friend off as a regular on the team... I’ve been telling myself this is all for Shiho’s sake... I can’t take it anymore... I’ve had enough of this... I hate him! But still... Shiho’s my best friend. She’s all I have left in that sorry excuse of a school! Tell me... What should I do...? Sorry... I shouldn’t have asked. It’s not your problem... What... am I saying...? I’ve barely even talked to you before...”  
  
_That was a long ass monologue.  
  
_“It’s fine.”  
  
“Huh...? ...You’re so weird. Usually everyone just ignores me. Are you really a bad person as the rumor says...? You just don’t seem like it...  
  
_“__I’m bad to the bone.”  
  
_“Is that supposed to be a joke? I kinda had a feeling it all was just an exaggeration. You seem lonely—almost like you just don’t belong anywhere... All of that stuff you said about your record was true, then... I guess that’s why it was so easy to talk to you. You don’t really have a place to belong here, neither do I, to tell you the truth... Is there really no way for me to help Shiho...? _I wish he’d just change his mind... Like, forget about me, and everything..._ As if something like that would ever happen...”  
  
_If only she knew.  
  
_“Ask and you shall receive, isn’t that what they say?”  
  
“I wasn’t asking for a serious response. But I do feel a bit better now. ...I'm gonna head home.”  
She took the plastic cup of water with her bag.  
“Don’t tell anyone what I told you, okay? I’ll try and think of a way to persuade Kamoshida. Well... thanks.”  
She had finally stopped dragging on with her speech, thank the lord above.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time_  
  
-  
  
He had left the diner, only ordering a glass of water and leaving was rude, but it couldn’t be helped. He was making way back towards the station square to finally head home for the night; it was almost 6:30PM.  
  
Fate, of course, had another plan for the Trickster this fine evening.  
  
He was trying to wade through the lake of bodies near the Buchiko (bootleg Hachikō) statue, but he could sense a commotion somehow, even though third eye was not active, it was as if his feet had led him to this exact spot to find another one of his female acquaintances, this one a redhead.  
No one seemed concerned about this middle aged person getting a bit too forceful with a mid aged teen. He had her left arm gripped tightly, he was confused, was this one of Kasumi’s “””family”””, or was this a thug?  
Kasumi was trying to say something, but she just couldn’t and stared at the man wide eyed. Akira knew that something was definitely wrong, literally no one cared about the little commotion happening right in front of them enough to step in, they'd rather watch this shit happen and not get in trouble, especially considering the person in distress was a hot (literally) student that might become their girlfriend if they save her.

_Ah shit, here we go again._

  
  
Akira walked up to this man, he had a beer gut, that expanded more out around his entire body rather than just his gut, it looked like Sojiro’s egg cousin.  
He didn’t let go of the girl and only gave Akira a weird look, like he was pretending to be step family, but really wasn’t.

“Do I even want to ask what you’re trying to pull here?” Akira spoke in a quiet malice, picked up from the redhead in his presence.  
  
“What’re you talkin’ ‘bout, kid? Scram! This is my daughter!”

  
  
_Well that was a fucking lie __if Akira had ever seen one._

“_Really?_ I don’t see the resemblance, and she clearly doesn’t look happy with you, sir.” Akira goaded him to try something, he fell right into the trap.  
  
“What’re you gonna do, huh? Call the cops?”  
  
“_No_, actually. I wanna play a game, it’s a fun little game where I scream: “Pedophile! Pedophile! Pedophile!” at the top of my lungs in public. Wanna try a round?”  
“Tch... I’ll remember you, brat...!” He let go of the girl, and vanished into the crowd.

‘_Later bitch, fuck off my screen...’_

_  
  
_ “Are you alright?” Akira asked the girl, she hadn’t said a word in this entire interaction with that weird kidnapper or rapist, hopefully it was just some drunk or methhead being a drunk or methhead.  
  
“...I’m fine, I don’t know why I couldn’t stop that creep...”  
  
“Is this a regular occurrence?”  
  
“This is the first time a stranger has started getting rowdy, as far as I can remember...”  
  
She checked her arm for bruises, there were none to be found.  
  
“I hope I was of assistance, Kasumi-san.”  
  
“Oh! No, I’m sorry! I forgot to thank you, Akira-senpai. I’m pretty sure you just saved my life from that freakazoid...”  
  
“Don’t mention it, if all else fails I’ll end up in a fight with some hobo before the year ends.”  
  
“But really... Thank you for today, you really helped everyone out, even that fool...”  
  
“...What are you doing out at past six-thirty anyway?”  
  
“...Practicing being in crowds of strangers...”  
  
He was nonplussed at this revelation.  
  
“Why?”  
  
“I never used to be good with crowds, a few years ago I got lost around here with my dad, he ended up calling the cops even though I was basically ten feet away.”  
  
He didn’t know if it was rude to laugh or not so he didn’t.  
  
“You _ can _ laugh if you want to, senpai.”  
  
“I don’t feel like it, and if I don’t hurry up Sojiro will make mincemeat out of me when I get back home...”  
  
“Is that your father?”  
  
“He's my caretaker as per my probation.”  
  
She looked embarassed for her mistake.  
  
“Did you find any intel?”  
  
She was confused now.  
  
“No?”  
  
“It’s important to gather intel while we can, even if they’re just rumors, there is usually some form of truth behind them.”  
  
“...So you’re a thug?”  
  
He almost laughed at his own expense.  
  
“I’m bad to the bone.”  
  
“You should get going before Sojiro turns you to mincemeat, senpai.”  
  
She was right, but before he could leave his vision faded, this was the third tarot vision, he wondered what Kasumi represented in the deck.

  
  
_‘I can feel a bond of trust coming from Kasumi...’_  
  
-  
  
  
_I am **thou,** thou art I..._  
  
_ Thou hast acquired a new **vow**._  
  
  
_ It shall **become **the wings of rebellion_  
  
_ that **breaketh** thy chains of captivity._  
  
  
_ With the birth of the **Faith** Persona,_  
  
_ I have obtained the winds of blessing that_  
  
_ shall lead to freedom and new **power****...**_

_-_

_NEW CONFIDANT: **Kasumi Yoshizawa  
** ARCANA: FAITH_  
_ RANK: 1/?_

  
_ NEW ABILITIES:_  
_ BATON PASS:_ Allows Joker or other Baton Pass users to pass another team member a turn after a one more, powering up their next attack.

  
-<>-

“I’ll catch you later, senpai.” She went her own way, and Akira went his.  
Something was off, the Chariot and the Fool had ten ranks, but Akira couldn’t tell the amount of ranks the Faith had. He could only see five at the very least so far, a pinkish white smog obscured the remained stars presumably.  
  
He shrugged it off for now, he had to make it back to Leblanc and get back out in the morning alive.

  
  
_ End Chapter _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Send help for putting Smash Bros. fandom in the tags.
> 
> Also, mass hibernation is imminent, no one is safe from stupid ass YouTube videos and translated twitter tweets from Japan.
> 
> Japan is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo lucky.


	19. The Great Sinner of Lust Part XVIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where the chapter ends might be a bit weird, but I wanted to let people know it wasn't dead as soon as possible.

-

-  
  
_Take your Time  
  
_-  
  
Akira returned to Leblanc yet again, the sign was flipped to closed, but there were still lights on inside. He went to turn the doorknob, it was open.  
“...You’re late.” Boss stated the obvious. “Where have you been?”  
  
“Some thug was bothering me.” It was a half truth, a thug was bothering a friend of his, and he also dragged another person to hear their life story.  
  
“Don’t gimme those lies.” He saw through it, but didn’t press the question further.  
“...By the way, you haven’t been hanging around any bad influences, have you?”  
  
“I actually made a couple of friends.”  
  
“Huh. They’ve gotta be pretty strange to hang around with you.”  
  
_‘Strange, doesn’t even begin to describe the past few days, gramps.’_  
  
“Just make sure you’re careful who your friends are, if you don’t want them ruining your life... Look at the time. Seriously, think about how I feel staying up here waiting for you.”  
  
The boy only nodded and went to trudge up the stairs.  
“Hey, I’m leaving. In the future, try not to come back so damn late. Understood?”  
He nodded again, he didn’t want to be here anymore.  
  
-  
  
Akira had cleaned up, his bag was near the stairs, his school clothes were hung up again, and he was in his loungewear.  
  
***Pi Pi Pi Pi***  
  
\---IM---  
  
Ryuji: so whaddya think about what morgana told us  
  
Ryuji: i dunno about all that stealing desires shit  
  
Ryuji: and kamoshita is gonna turn brain dead if we fuck it up  
  
Ryuji: yeah im pissed at him  
  
Ryuji: but i dunno if i wanna kill the guy  
  
Kasumi: this is exactly what akira was saying when he said “stop blowing up our phones before we go to bed”  
  
He mentally agreed, but didn’t voice his opinion.  
  
Akira: he’s an asswipe, but I don’t know about killing him, or having him wish he was dead bc he’s fucking braindead  
  
Akira: but I suppose it doesn’t make much of a difference given how meat brained he already is  
  
Kasumi: mood

Ryuji: mood  
  
Akira: mood  
  
Ryuji: mood  
  
Kasumi: ok shut the fuck up  
  
Ryuji: :(  
  
Akira: mood  
  
Kasumi: yeah im done with this shit  
  
**Kasumi Yoshizawa has left the chat.  
  
**Akira: mood  
  
Ryuji: moof  
  
Akira: yeah im done with this shit  
  
**Akira Kurusu had left the chat.  
  
**Ryuji: m o o d  
  
**Ryuji Sakamoto has added Akira Kurusu and Kasumi Yoshizawa to the chat.  
  
Kasumi Yoshizawa has left the chat.  
  
Akira Kurusu added Kasumi Yoshizawa to the chat.  
  
**Kasumi: stop it, get some help.  
  
Akira: yeah! tell em, kasumi!  
  
**Ryuji has changed Ryuji Sakamoto’s name to mood.  
  
**Akira: I will fucking laser you  
  
mood: do it bitch  
  
Kasumi: ok children  
  
mood: ok boomer  
  
Kasumi: 3 2 1  
  
Kasumi: time to laugh  
  
Akira: ha  
  
Kasumi: ha  
  
Kasumi: ha.

mood: :(  
  
Akira: :)  
  
mood: ok we need to get back on track  
  
mood: i mean maybe im just freaking the fuck out  
  
mood: but i dont wanna end up a murderer cause of this shit  
  
**Akira has changed mood’s name back to Ryuji Sakamoto.  
  
** Ryuji: ill say the m word  
  
Kasumi: remember when we were on track?  
  
Akira: nope.  
  
Ryuji: ANYWAY  
  
Akira: you started this shit  
  
Ryuji: i’ll try and see if i can come up with some other shit tonight  
  
\---  
  
Akira was sitting down on the sofa watching the shitshow of a chat, but it had ended, so he was left to his own thoughts.  
  
_ ‘If he has a change of heart, he’ll probably stop abusing his students, but it’s too risky...’ _

He had opted to go to bed early, tomorrow was gonna be hell.  
  
_ ‘Stealing Kamoshida’s distorted desires... Can we really do it? Anyway, I should get some sleep.’ _

_ \- _ _ **4/15 Friday** _ _ \- _

“I can’t believe Suzui-senpai missed such an important meeting. I wonder what happened.”  
  
He was tailing more students on the walk to jail, he was making a habit out of gathering information.  
  
“Mr. Kamoshida asked to see her...”  
  
“You know, I’ve been hearing rumors about how Mr. Kamoshida and Suzui-senpai stay late... She always shows up to meetings though. It’s weird she wasn’t at the one yesterday...”  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time  
  
_-  
  
“So, I assume all of you know about the separation of powers? There are three branches in our government. The National Diet is legislative, the Cabinet is executive, and the Supreme Court is judiciary.”  
  
_Akira wanted out of this shithole of a school._  
  
“This division of power provides checks and balances, which ensures that no one branch becomes unstoppable.”  
  
“Have you made up your mind?”  
  
He became aware of a presence in his desk, this presence could talk, by the looks of it.  
It was the goddamn monster cat.  
  
“No matter how much thinking you do, there’s only one option. You’d be better off just listening to me.”  
  
He whisper shouted at the intruding cat. “Don’t talk.”  
  
“Hm? Did I just hear a cat just now?”  
  
The cat retreated it’s head back into his desk away from sight.  
“M-Meow!” He tried to make a horrible imitation of a cat meowing.  
  
“Could that rumored cat be somewhere nearby...? Settle down! We’re in the middle of an important lecture!”  
  
_*Bvv Bvv*  
  
_\---IM---_  
  
_Ryuji: its no use  
  
Ryuji: i cant think of any other way  
  
Akira: do you like blowing up people’s phones in the middle of class?  
  
Ryuji: i cant deal with that shit right now i mean  
  
Ryuji: what the fuck are we gonna do about kamoshida!?  
  
Ryuji: do we just go along with what the cat says  
  
Kasumi: Concentrate on class.  
  
Ryuji: that damn furball  
  
\---  
  
“If only he knew I was reading this too...”  
  
Class continued with basically no excitement besides the old fart Mr. Ushimaru telling the class shit they’ll forget tomorrow.  
  
He was trying to not fall asleep when a voice that wasn’t the old and bitter tone of the teacher snapped him out of his daze.  
  
“Hey... What’s that...!?”  
  
The student in the front right corner of the class was looking out the classroom through a window by the looks of it, other students started to get up to look at what he was pointing at.  
  
“Enough! This is a classroom!” The teacher reprimanded to no avail once they saw what the student was so alarmed about.  
  
The female student behind him opened the floodgates with one sentence.  
“Wait... She’s going to jump...!”  
  
Everything went to shit, a quarter of the students where out of their seats trying to see what was going on, the teacher was trying to get everyone to calm down to zero effect, and Mishima shot up from his seat.  
“Suzui...?”  
  
Akira caught the name just barely in the whirlwind of panicked shouts.  
He felt his heart fall through his asshole and through the floor to the third year classrooms.  
  
_She was going to jump._  
  
Ann caught the name too. “Shiho...?”  
She sprung out of her seat and ran to the door to get a better look, other students were starting to join in on the parade, happy to be out of the boring ass classroom.  
  
“Hey! Stay in your seats! Do not step foot out of this room!”  
  
He followed the girl, he had to try something.  
  
There were already many students crowding the windows trying to get a look at the source of the commotion.  
  
He got a look for just a moment before she fell without much hesitation.  
  
“......!” Ann was about to have a breakdown.  
Screams polluted the hallway, he could hear them downstairs as well.  
“No... Why...?! Shiho...!” Ann began to run to the scene of the suicide, Akira cursed the bastard Kamoshida for what he has done to the school.  
  
The teachers were trying to get the students back to their classes to no fruition.

_ End Chapter _


	20. The Great Sinner of Lust Part XIX

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1.7k words.

-

Students were pouring out of their classrooms to the lower floors to try and see the cause of the commotion, or, if they had seen the girl jump, try and see if she was still alive.  
  
“H-Hey!” It was Ryuji’s voice behind him. “What’s goin’ on?! We should head down to the courtyard too!”  
  
Akira merely nodded and booked it down the stairs. Ryuji was right on his heels behind him.  
The two delinquents had come to basically a dead end, there was way, way, _way _too many students hoarding around the door to the courtyard, by the time they’d get through, it’d be Christmas.  
The black haired boy dragged the blonde boy away, he had another route to the courtyard in his mind.  
They arrived into another classroom, there were only a couple of meek third-year students still inside, the teacher was long gone.  
The seniors looked up at the transfer student and the blonde thug incredulously, but the transfer paid them no mind.  
He dragged the blonde up to one of the windows, he pulled up the blinds and tried to get the main pane open, then he would get the screen door open, then they would jump out the window into the courtyard. It wasn’t a very far way down, only a couple meters, they would live, unlike the person that had caused this mess.  
He finally got it open, he pried the thing up, practically dragged the screen up, and gracefully dove through the window.  
He landed with a roll, he dusted off his pants then bolted to the growing crowd, he could hear a “oof” of Ryuji landing on his rump behind him.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time  
  
_-  
  
“Class is still in session!”  
  
The paramedics were already here, she was in a stretcher, and people were waving their phones around recording the event. Disgusting.  
  
“Shiho...!” Ann was on the verge of tears by the sound of it.  
  
“What the hell’s wrong with these people...?!”  
  
He didn’t have time to reply before one of the paramedics addressed the crowd for assistance. “We need someone to go with her. Are there any teachers around?”  
  
“I-I’m not in charge of her class though...”  
“We should leave this to Principal Kobayakawa...”  
  
“I’ll go!” Ann’s voiced cracked.  
  
“Please hurry!”  
  
She kneeled down to the stretcher laid in the grass with Shiho’s battered body upon it.  
“Shiho... Why...?”  
  
“Ann...?” She was still alive, a remarkable feat. “I’m sorry. I... I can’t take this... anymore...” She went limp.  
  
“Shiho...?”  
  
It looked like she whispered something to Ann.  
  
“...Huh? ...Kamoshida?!”  
  
“Ngh...” She stopped moving.  
  
“No... Shiho?!  
  
The crew began taking her into the ambulance.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time  
  
_-  
  
A deafening uproar of whispers plagued the courtyard, teachers screaming that class was still in session and to get back to your classrooms fell on deaf ears as rumors started cooking up in an instant.  
Akira and Ryuji were in the front row of people, the ambulance had left not a minute ago.  
“Volleyball team...” Ryuji mused.  
  
“Return to your classrooms at once!”  
  
“Ah... Ah...!” A timid student started tripping over his legs, running away from the scene of the crime.  
  
Ryuji caught the boy’s profile out of the corner of his eye.  
“That guy... Hey, wasn’t Mishima actin’ weird?”  
  
The question was intended for Akira, the person in question answered said query with conviction. “He knows something.”  
  
“...We’re gonna make him talk this time.”  
  
The two cut through the crowd toward the practice building, where Mishima had fled toward.  
  
The principal was in the center of the riot. “Teachers, return to your classrooms for the time being! Please do not let any students go home yet!”  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time  
_  
-  
  
The two teens had cornered the suspect, the corridor they were in was barren of other students.  
“That hurts!”  
  
“Why’d you run like that? Huh?!”  
  
“I didn’t run...!”  
  
He smashed the locker with his fist with amazing force, the clank of cheap metal echoed in the long barren hallway.  
_“She jumped and tried to kill herself!!” _Ryuji basically howled.  
  
“...L-Leave me alone...!”  
  
Akira needed to get to the point. “Just tell us.”  
  
“He’s right!” The blonde backed him up swiftly. “We ain’t tryin’ to getcha busted. We won’t say you talked either!”  
  
“Suzui... she... she w-was called out by M-Mr. Kamoshida...!”  
  
“Wait, what?!”  
  
“I was called by him a number of times too... to the teacher’s room. It wasn’t just me or Suzui either. He’d nominate somebody when he was in a bad mood... and hit them.”  
  
“So the physical punishment shit was for real...”  
  
“But yesterday, he called Suzui out of the blue. She didn’t even make any mistakes or anything...” His tone was grave.  
“You just _had_ to go and piss him off that day, and now look at what you’ve caused...! The beatings are terrible, but he must’ve been seething when he called her to the teacher’s room...”  
  
“He didn’t...!” Ryuji had caught on to what he was implying: violent rape.  
_“That son of a __**bitch...!!**__”_  
  
He sprinted down the hallway at record speed, he was gone down the corner in seconds.  
  
“Ah...” Mishima gave Akira a stupid sorry look.  
Akira only chased after the blonde, before he killed the bastard, as much as Akira’d like him dead, he wanted to do it himself, or at least get to watch his slow, painful demise.  
Mishima tailed him after a moment of debating whether to go along with Ryuji’s horrible idea.  
The blue boy somehow caught up to the black haired boy chasing the yellow haired boy.  
“I bet... Sakamoto’s going to find Mr. Kamoshida... Mr. Kamoshida’s probably in the PE faculty office on the second floor.”  
They had just began stomping up the stairs after him, they couldn’t catch a fleeting glimpse of Ryuji until they got up to the second floor, they just barely saw him running down the hall to their right.  
  
“He went into the PE faculty office! Let’s hurry, we have to go after him!”  
  
They had just came to the grey corner hall, there was only one door, and it was just barely ajar. Akira casually opened the door, as if he wasn’t in a mad dash to keep up with a star runner, minus the broken leg part.  
  
Kamoshida was in the office, doing some sort of paperwork by the looks of it, he had just began to notice the ruckus behind him of three pissed off students.  
“Huh?”  
  
“You bastard! What the hell did you do to that girl?!” Ryuji was royally pissed at the octagon jaw mophead in the room.  
  
“What are you talking about?” The pentagon jaw feigned ignorance to his cruelty.  
  
Ryuji used his good leg to kick a cheap metal chair across the room. “Don’t play dumb with me!”  
  
“That is enough!” The hexagon jaw apprehended.  
  
A meek voice presented itself, a sharp contrast to the shrieking of the blonde in the room.  
“What you did... wasn’t coaching...!”  
  
“What did you say?” The heptagon jaw heard Mishima’s allegation.  
  
“You... You ordered me to call Suzui here... I can only imagine what you did to her...!”  
  
“You’re going on and on about things you have no proof of...” The decagon jaw got up from his office chair, arms crossed. “Basically, you’re simply making these claims because you can’t be a regular on the team, right?”  
  
“That’s not what this is about...!” Mishima cried to no avail.  
  
“Even if it _is _exactly as you imagine it to be, hypothetically speaking... what can you do? We just received a call from the hospital. Suzui’s in a coma, and the chances of recovery are slim... Now how would someone like that make a statement?”  
Everyone was alarmed at this new revelation, from the nonagon jaw.  
“There’s no chance of her getting better, I hear... The poor girl.”  
  
“No...” Mishima was in denial. “That can’t be...  
  
Ryuji was in vehement wrath. _“You goddamn...!”  
_  
“This, again...?” The hectagon jaw taunted in phony exasperation. “Does this mean we’re going to have yet another case of “self-defense”?”  
  
“You shut your mouth, you son of a bitch!” He went to try and punch him right in his smug face.  
  
Akira had him by the wrist before he could even start moving his fist forward.  
  
“Why’re you stoppin’ me...?!”  
  
Akira brought him back to the ground before he did something rash.  
“He wants you to hit him, it’s just like the last time. If you hit him, it feels great for just a second, until you get expelled.”  
  
“But still...!” Ryuji held off on caving in the triangle jaw’s abhorrently ugly face.  
  
“Oh? You’re stopping him? What a surprise. There’s no need to hold back. Why not attack me?” He crossed his arms in mocking, stupid smile on his square profile.  
“...Ohhh, you can’t. Hahaha, but of course, _you can’t!_”  
A silence prevailed for what felt like hours as the ripped mophead went back to his computer.  
“Everyone present right now... will be expelled. I’m reporting all of you at the next board meeting.”  
  
“Wha—“ Ryuji went to protest, but Mishima protested more vigorously.  
  
“You can’t make a decision like that...!” Mishima pled in vain.  
  
“Who would seriously consider what scum like you have to say? You threatened me too, Mishima, so you’re just as responsible.”  
  
“Huh...?” Mishima still needed time to let the realization sink in.  
  
“To think you didn’t know why I kept someone as talentless as you on the team. You act like you’re a victim, but you leaked his criminal records, didn’t you? It’s all over the internet, correct? How terrible.”  
  
Ryuji slowly turned over to Mishima at this new piece of information. Akira only looked at him tiredly.  
“Mishima...?”  
  
The boy fell to his knees. “He told me to do it. It had no choice...”  
  
The plungerhead started cackling like an idiot. “Now, are we finished here? You’re all expelled! You’re done for; your futures are mine to take. Now, get out of my sight.”  
  
“I can’t believe this asshole’s gettin’ away with this...!”  
  
Akira deadpanned. “You wanna punch him? Better make it count. Better, make it hurt. Better... kill ‘em in one shot.”  
  
“...But killin’ him only puts us down to his level...!”  
  
“We can always punish the king, remember?”  
  
“Huh...?” It took Ryuji the better part of a moment to catch on to Akira’s insinuation. “...Oh right. We have __that!”  
  
“What are you lemmings raving on about? I don’t understand what garbage like you are thinking, but go ahead and try. All you can do is wait for your disposal, though...”  
  
They picked up Mishima and dragged him away from the scene of the crime.  


  
_ End Chapter _


	21. The Great Sinner of Lust Part XX

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in a day, I might just get another one out in the next three hours, but don't count on it.

-

  
-  
  
_Take your Time_  
  
-  
  
The group had met up, including Kasumi, and the cat, at the usual spot in the courtyard.  
  
Ryuji hit one of the vending machines again, nothing fell down, unfortunately.  
“We can’t waste any time. We gotta hurry up and go to that world and _beat the shit_ outta that asshole!”  
  
The cat started talking, they had gotten used to the supernatural shit already.  
“...We’re not beating him up. We’re simply stealing his distorted desires. Can I assume that you’ve all made up your minds about this—how he might suffer a mental shutdown?”  
  
“...I have.” Ryuji’s voice was shaky. “Someone almost _died_ because of him! I don’t give a rat’s ass what happens to him anymore.”  
  
“And you two?”  
  
They were silent for a moment, but Akira managed to start first.  
“...We have no other option, the cops don’t care, the parents don’t care, and the principal doesn’t care. If we speak up, our voices would be snuffed out... Unless Kamoshida turns himself in of his own accord, otherwise, we’re getting nowhere with this...”  
  
“I was thinking the same thing.” The girl said. “He doesn’t care that someone attempted suicide because of him. He sentenced three students to expulsion because they tried to protest against his cruelty. If we could just report him to the police, then I wouldn’t go through with this, but... This seems to be the only way to end his tyranny over the school.”  
  
“...Then it’s settled.” Morgana announced.  
  
“By the way,” Ryuji started. “is gettin’ rid of a Palace hard...? You’ve tried it before, right?”  
  
“...When did I ever say that?” Morgana deadpanned.  
  
“...Eh?” It took him a moment to digest. “...WHAT?! Were you just pretendin’ to know?!”  
  
_“Is it true that you’re getting expelled?”  
_It was Ann, she had likely found them from Ryuji’s raving like an idiot.  
“Everyone’s talking about it...”  
  
“That asshole’s at it again...!” Ryuji boiled. “So you came all this way to tell us that?”  
  
“...If you’re going to do something to deal with Kamoshida... let me in on it too.”  
  
Everyone was flabbergasted.  
  
“I can’t just sit back and do nothing after what happened to Shiho!”  
  
“This has nothing to do with you... Don’t butt your head into this.” Ryuji dismissed her.  
  
“But it does! Shiho’s my—“  
  
“I _said_ don’t get in our way!” Ryuji had no tact.  
  
“......”  
She fled from the lounge.  
  
“...That was harsh.” Morgana stated the obvious.  
  
“We can’t take her somewhere like that...”  
  
Morgana sat back down. “...I hope that she doesn’t torment herself over this. When it comes down to it, women don’t hesitate.”  
  
“What is _that_ supposed to mean, kitty?” The other girl admonished.  
  
Ryuji stopped the fight though, probably the last time he’ll stop a fight rather than get in said fight.  
“We just gotta hurry up and deal with Kamoshida. Let’s go already!”  
  
-  
  
_Take your Time  
  
_-  
  
“The moment we cross over, we’ll treat each other like Phantom Thieves. I hope you’re ready for this, team.”  
  
They were in the alleyway right in front of the school, the four of them.  
  
Ryuji was Ryuji in this scenario. “What’s this about Phantom Thieves again?”  
  
“Those who covertly sneak in and stylishly steal treasure—that is what we become!”  
  
Akira added his two yen. “Not bad.”  
  
Ryuji started getting all childish again. “That sounds kinda cool! So we just gotta say the school, Kamoshida’s name, and... castle? Then we end up in bizarro world.” He brandished his phone. “...How the hell’s this shit even work? Someone make it?”  
  
“It just showed up when I got to Shibuya station.”  
  
“...That’s kinda creepy, but eh, it seems useful enough. We’ll show that fuckin’ Kamoshita!”  
  
Akira just remembered something. “That reminds me, Kasumi-san, you don’t happen to have the navigator on your phone, do you?”  
  
She simply showed it active on her phone.  
  
Morgana urged them along. “Anyway, _children_. Let’s go!”

“_They really are going to do something...”  
_Ann was spying just around the corner, she had followed them here.  
“They’re doing something on their phone? A name... School...?”  
  
A loud drum-esque sound resonated through the city itself, her vision visibly distorted, and there was just a slight tinge of pink now.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Heart  
_  
-  
  
The thieves were right in front of the drawbridge, a magician, a pirate thug, a cartoon cat, and a goth gymnast.  
  
“Alright! I’m gonna bust loose!” Ryuji bragged.  
  
“What _is _this?!” Their spy exclaimed.  
  
The four turned over to see the real Ann Takamaki leering at them incredulously, she didn’t know whether to look at them and their weird getups, or the demon castle in front of her.  
  
Ryuji won the race to declare the name of the new human presence. “Wh—T-Takamaki...?!”  
  
“That voice... Sakamoto?! And are you... Kurusu-kun?!”  
  
“Wh-Wh-Why are _you_ here?!” Ryuji cried.  
  
“How should I know?!” Her attention turned to the other girl. “And who’re you...?!”  
  
Everyone stayed silent, well, besides Ann.  
“What’s going on?! Hey, where are we...?! Isn’t this the school?!” Three questions in five seconds.  
  
No one noticed Mona’s heart eyes. “I see. Perhaps she was dragged in because of that app thing. If multiple people can enter with the person who uses it, it stands to reason it’s capable of pulling in anyone else nearby.”  
  
Ryuji uttered his trademark phrase.  
  
The girl without the strange getup started talking again, finished with soaking up her surroundings.  
“Wait, so THIS is related to Kamoshida?!”  
  
“A-Anyways, you gotta leave!” Ryuji said.  
  
“No!” She plainly stated.  
  
“The shadows are going to find us if you keep causing a scene.”  
  
Here comes the reality check.  
“No way! It talked...!? _Oh my god, _it’s a monster cat...!”  
  
The monster cat wasn’t happy. “_WHAT?! Again?!_”  
  
“You better explain what’s going on! I won’t leave until you do!”  
  
“Looks like we gotta force her.” Ryuji stated. But... how’re we supposed to do that?”  
  
“Just take her back to where we came in. That’s how it worked last time, right?”  
  
“O-Oh, yeah.” Ryuji stuttered. “Can you guys lend me a hand?”  
  
“I suppose we have to... Sorry, Takamaki-senpai.” Kasumi apologized in advance.  
  
Akira was still on the fence about it, if she snitched on them, they were boned. Not only that, but that weird app might have been installed on her phone when they dragged her in here. If they kicked her out, she might just come back in and get attacked by the shadows.  
  
“Remember how the navigator got installed randomly on your phone, Ryuji?” Akira insinuated.  
  
He was smarter than looked, just this one time. “You mean it might’ve gotten planted on hers just now...?”  
  
“Exactly, if we kick her out now, she could come right back in and get attacked by the shadows.”  
  
“Get attacked by _what?!_” Ann shrieked.  
  
Ryuji deadpanned. “Um, y’know... just your run-of-the-mill _demons_.”  
  
“_What...?!_” Ann was in disbelief.  
  
“We should get inside a safe room, before they come down to where we are like bats out of hell.” Akira’s tone was final.  
  
“Just where are you taking me?!”  
  
“Would you just shut it and let us do our thing, Takamaki?” Ryuji’s tone wasn’t hostile, just deflated.  
  
-  
  
_Take your Heart  
  
_-  
  
  
_End Chapter_


	22. The Great Sinner of Lust Part XXI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three updates in a day deadass

-

The thieves had dragged Ann along on the ride, she stayed quiet after the explanation of shadows and how they were hostile and wouldn’t hesitate to kill an intruder.

They had just started sneaking through the castle to the nearest safe room where they could safely lay out what the hell was going on to Ann, and they already heard voices of shadows coming from the main hall.  
“Praise be to King Kamoshida! Death to the intruders!”

Skull scoffed at the rally in the foyer. Joker went into the white door they hadn’t explored yet.  
He immediately dashed back at the sight of a guard’s back, there was a single guard grunt in here, but if the knights heard a call for help, the thieves would be taking it up the ass.  
The guard turned around to the open door, it only looked around and shrugged it off, these guards were stupid.  
“Dammit, there’s a guard over here too....” Skull whispered. Whaddya wanna do? Should we kick its ass?”

“Hold on...” Mona commented. “This might be a good opportunity to teach you something...” He mused for just a moment longer before commanding Ann to stay behind the corner and out of sight. He then commanded Joker. “All right, Joker! Are you ready to take it down?”  
He nodded and bolted around the corner, the shadow didn’t have time to react before it ate a dagger to the face. It started convulsing and revealed it’s true form, one Pixie.

-

“Remember how I taught you All-out Attacks? This technique makes a more practical use of the knockdowns. When you knock down the enemy, surround it and hold it up at gunpoint, or in the other’s case, just look threatening with your normal weapons. But anyway, shadows are beings born from people’s hearts, so, naturally, they can communicate too. In other words, you can communicate with them, Joker. Get it? If you talk to them while they’re cornered, they might offer money or items since they don’t want to die. In fact, talking has a better chance at scoring something great, as opposed to just offing them. Well then, let’s do the first step: Knock the enemy down, and use that opening to perform a Hold Up!”

That was one long ass explanation, kitty.

Joker assented and drew the gun swiftly and professionally shot the enemy right in the torso.  
It fell with a cry and the group surrounded the unfortunate foe, Joker and Mona had a handgun and funny slingshot in hand, whilst Skull and Countess were a moments notice from either knocking them out or beheading them.

“Seriously?! You guys are the intruders that King Kamoshida was talking about...? it can’t get worse than this... What’re you going to do with me?!”

“The money, now.” His tone was horrifying, picked up from Kasumi’s patented death look.

“Huh? So you’ll let me live if I just give you some money?”

Mona hurried them up. “Well, something along those lines... Now let it be money or items. Just cough it up!”

“But, this happened so suddenly... I actually don’t have anything on me... I-I usually do though, you know?!”

“W-Wait, what? Oh... This isn’t how I was planning this to go. Uh... Anyway, it can’t be helped if that’s the case. Time for you to go to hell.”

“W-Wait!”

“Sorry, but we’re in a hurry.” he was awfully casual about the whole going to hell thing.

“No, wait up! Can’t we work something out? Don’t kill me, please! Won’t you let me go?”

“You chose the wrong enemy, pal.”

“Wow... You’re really confident. But I’m the same way. In any other situation, we’d get along really well.”

A brief silence came and went.

“Whoa, I feel different! Something’s happening!”

Mona was nonplussed at whatever was happening at the present. “What the...?! What’s going on?!”

“...Oh yeah, I remember now! I don’t belong just to King Kamoshida... I’m an existence that drifts about in the sea of humanity’s souls... My real name... is “Pixie”! I’m Pixie! From now on, I’ll live on inside your heart!”

The Pixie faded to a bright blue light, the smoke amalgamated into a copy of Joker’s white mask, and it was sucked into the Joker’s face.

PERSONA TAKEN!

“What was that just now...? What happened...?!”

-

“Wh-What the hell was that about?! The enemy got sucked into Joker’s mask!” Skull exclaimed.

Mona shouted. “I-I have no idea! I wasn’t expecting that either...!”

“Intruders?! Halt!”

They weren’t aware of another knight that emerged from a door just behind Skull, they didn’t get much reprieve from the previous fight.

“Crap! They noticed us!” Ryuji said the obvious.

The knight revealed six Bicorns in it’s place, this was going to be one hell of a fight.

-

‘I sense a new possibility within me stemming from the previous battle...’

It was like his body moved on it’s own accord, he summoned a Persona, but it was not a familiar fifteen foot tall presence of a gentleman thief, but a meek creature that could only be described as a fairy.

“Pixie!” He called the new Persona’s name, and the fairy invoked a bolt from the skies to strike one of the angry assailants. The attack knocked them down again, Skull’s zio had a similar effect against the Bicorns, maybe this was the same spell?

“I-Is that the shadow from earlier?! Don’t tell me... Did you take in the Shadow’s appearance and powers as a Persona?!”

The Joker struck again, but not in the same place, a zio reverberated throughout one of the Bicorn’s bodies. The same happened to this one.

Skull took this sign as to start attacking instead of gawk at the leader, another zio hit home on the target, the third one was downed.

Joker attacked again. The fourth one was down, disarray began to sew in the enemy’s ranks.

Skull attacked yet again, this zio was much more effective than the others, it appears this Bicorn in particular couldn’t handle the voltage.

Skull blasted the final one with zio, they were all down, and the thieves initiated the Hold Up.

HOLD UP

Joker ordered an All-out Attack on all six of the enemies, the four could not control their movements and they simply sat back and watched the bloody carnage of black and red. The light took over their vision.  
Skull fell from the sky square unto his face, he got up comically and bore the sign of the devil with his right hand at the invisible audience, a punkish background replaced the red sky with the words styled in graffiti: “FREAKIN’ BORING!” laid upon the sight.  
“That’s all she wrote!” Skull exclaimed on his own.

-

“Holy... Does that mean you can wield multiple Personas?!”

“Fuck that shit! What did I just do!?”

“An All-out Attack finisher.” Mona casually spoke.

“But what was that shit at the end where I looked really fuckin’ cool?!”

“Don’t ask me, it just happens for some reason. You two could also see the finisher, right?” The question was intended for the two silent people in the room.

“Yeah.” Joker stated nonchalantly, not concerned about the laws of physics and body control.

Countess only nodded at Joker’s statement, also nonchalant.

“Man, what is this fuckin’ shit? A comic book...?”

“Hey! What the hell!?”

They had completely forgotten Ann was probably watching them. She was looking at them half expectantly and half disbelievingly.  
“What did you just do to those... things?!”

“Those are the shadows we were telling you about.” Mona casually explained, as if all this supernatural bullshit just didn’t exist.

She was going to try and say something but the cat started talking again.  
“But Joker just did something really incredible! He sealed the Pixie’s appearance and powers into his mask, and made it his new Persona! I’ve never seen somebody do that before... didn’t even know it was possible!”

Joker dismissed the praise all the more nonchalantly. “It’s not important.”

“And that’s our Joker, heh.” He rubbed his stubby limbs together, a strange habit. “Only one heart exists per person, so being able to wield multiple Personas is an amazing feat.”

“What is a Persona...?” Ann was still here, they should get going before they get ambushed again.

“I’ll explain it later,” Mona ignored the question for now. “we need to get somewhere safe, for now.”

End Chapter


	23. The Great Sinner of Lust Part XXII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My cat told me to go to bed before I could post this yesterday smh

-

  
The squad plus Ann trudged through the hallway past the new door, they came to a barred ornate hallway to their left, there was no apparent way to open it, so they held off for now.

“I dunno why... but somethin’ fells off ‘bout this hallway...”  
  
“There’s nothing we can do right now. Let’s try elsewhere.”  
  
The ground promptly continued on to a door at the end of the hallway, Joker motioned for them to stay behind the door, and keep quiet, mostly directed at Ann.  
He cracked open the door just slightly to see through it, he could see darkness, brownish black bricks, and a few grey knights walking in circles like robots.  
He opened the door just a bit more to see a thief’s favourite sight, a shiny unopened treasure chest. He killed his loot boner for now to deal with the current situation that’s stopping him from pillaging the chest.  
They could probably take them all on, there were four of them and three of the enemy.  
  
Joker gave a come hither motion for the team, and they leered over his shoulder at the situation, he whispered commands to the three of them, they would ambush at least one of them, and they would take the others down in a single fight. Then they would raid the chest, then they’d continue their search for a safe room.  
  
Skull dissented the offer to try and ambush one of the shadows by ripping off the mask, he settled with thwacking it with the club as opposed to advanced movement.  
  
Joker and Countess tore the masks of two of the guards, Skull had taken one by surprise with the lead pipe, and a shitstorm of a fight was coming up.  
  
-  
  
‘..._Well, this was a fucking mistake...’  
  
_They had counted at least twenty of these assholes, how much Joker would pay for a time machine, they’d never know.  
  
_We’re rolling deep into your underground crypt_  
  
The thieves took initiative, Joker fired eiha at one of the Pixies, as they were weak to curse. He attacked another Pixie with eiha, he took note of how much time they had and casted Sukunda against a Berith.  
  
_Though they sent a prior notice; called for you_  
  
Countess prepared for hell, and she was going to give them hell. Cendrillon purged a stray Jack’o Lantern trying to sneak up on Skull, while the Persona’s master was at a stalemate with the other Berith.  
  
_We wanna make this party you don’t want to skip  
  
_Skull attacked one of the Bicorns with a zio spell, and then clobbered a Silky, killing it in one shot.  
  
_Gonna be a show to remember  
  
_Mona professionally targeted the Jack’o Lanterns with wind spells to buy them some breathing room, he downed three of them before an Incubus closed in on him with it’s claws, he couldn’t get away before he took a bad hit.  
  
_Take over, it’s time to put you down  
  
_The enemies had closed the distance, the slowed Berith targeted the source of it’s sluggishness: The Joker in the room.  
  
_Make over, nothing’s gonna take away my life_  
  
Jack’o Lanterns had Skull in a predicament, he managed to whack a couple of them before being knocked away back to the rest of the team.  
  
_Was over when you started with them_  
  
Silky’s were targeting Mona especially, Bufu spells came toward him, but all missed except for one. Zorro had healed the damage as quick as it came, however.  
  
_Give you the thought twice, all the feint eyes_  
  
Countess was still in a stalemate with the Berith she was fighting, Cendrillon had since joined her in the fight, which was enough to overpower the mounted knight and vanquish it.  
  
_Game’s over!  
  
_Joker assisted Skull in the vanquishing of the Bicorns, Pixie called a zio to shock the opposition, and Skull did the same, the Captain fired off two bolts towards the Pixies and ran over a stray Jack’o Lantern all the while.  
  
_Hey, it’s time to put it down! Hey, it’s time to put it down!_

Joker took his one more, and he Baton Passed to Countess, she was powered up from the effect, and the resulting kouha vaporized the sluggish Berith.  
  
_Hey, it’s time to put it down! Hey, it’s time to put it down!  
  
_Countess continued the assault, Baton Passing back to Joker, he used a polar opposite spell, maeiha annihilated the remaining Pixies and severely damaged the Jack’o lanterns  
  
_You actually thought you can get away with skeletons in your closet?_

Countess attacked normally this time, using her rapier with terrifying efficiency to cut down a Silky.  
  
_Don’t think so!  
  
_Skull smacked the living shit out of an Incubus. The Captain ran over the remaining Jack’o Lanterns, cackling all the while.  
  
_We’re gon’ reveal the truth out to the public  
  
_Mona used a couple dia spells to heal up minor injuries for the team, while Zorro summoned a strange boxing glove attaching to a spring out of thin air, which pulverized one of the pillars in the room, which tumbled upon a bunch of mismatched enemies.  
  
_Put your hands up, time to surrender!  
  
_The few remaining enemies were rather weak shadows, they were promptly beaten to death by Ryuji and Arsene.  
  
_Take over, it’s time to put you down  
  
_The last enemy had fallen.  
  
Or so they had thought.  
  
Alarms suddenly blared out of places that seemed impossible in a castle, and at the very least _thirty_ enemies were in the room with them now.  
‘_Fuck.’  
  
Make over, nothing’s gonna take away my light  
  
_Joker brought out the gun, he let loose on the enemies, 15 shots aimed at the Pixies of the group, most of them were knocked down and some of them were gone.  
  
_Was over when you started with them  
  
_Joker Baton Passed to Countess again, she used a new skill, aimed at a strange yellow glowing Berith. An indescribable force formed in front of the enemy, it then cut it clean in two, the thing screamed as it exploded in a yellow energy, electrocuting a few of the about twenty remaining enemies.  
  
_Give you the thought twice, all the feint eyes  
  
_Countess took the disarray and weaved in and out through the crowd of confused enemies, the shocked ones were left alone as they were basically helpless and could be easily disposed of after the fight was over.  
  
_Game’s over!  
  
_Mona used garu on the Jack’o Lanterns repeatedly, knocking them down and vaporizing some of them on the spot.  
  
_We do not live by your rules, dirty work  
  
_Skull commanded the Captain to run over the crowd of incapacitated Jack’o Lanterns. It shot off zio beams toward remaining enemies in the process.  
  
_Your ego has driven you out of truth  
  
_The remaining about ten enemies were Beriths and one Eligor. The Eligor motioned to the Beriths to charge down the intruders, and they did. Everyone took a lot of damage, even Countess.  
  
_You only played yourself, got no game  
Serving you right  
Say your prayers now!  
  
_Mona used most of his remaining energy to just barely cast a Media spell, it was the main factor that ensured their survival in this shitstorm of a brawl.  
  
_Take over, it’s time to put you down_  
  
Joker stood against the nine Beriths, using maeiha again made him sleepy with mental exhaustion, but it was either strain his mind, or die in this special plane of hell. The attack wasn’t very effective, but it was decently powerful on its own.

_Make over, nothing’s gonna take away my flight_

Ryuji scoffed and latched on to the side of the Captain’s ship, they both flew into the ranks of knights, like a bowling ball against bowling pins. Many of them were defeated by the impact, and disarray and uncertainty festered.  
  
_Was over when you started with them  
  
_Countess cursed and used the very little energy she had to blast away the remnants of the Beriths.  
  
_Give you the thought twice, all the feint eyes  
  
_The only enemy left was an Eligor, this was the third one of these goddamn knights they’ve fought, this one wasn’t glowing blue or some bullshit, so it wouldn’t be suicidal to fight it in their current condition.  
  
_Game’s over!  
  
_All four of them made a coordinated attack on the knight, going for the horse, the Joker and the Countess attacked the legs, while Mona and Skull distracted the knight from what was going on beneath him. Everyone was launched away by a strange force, Skull got knocked into one of the pillars, which crumbled on impact. Mona was nowhere to be seen. Countess had landed gracefully yet again. Joker got knocked into a bunch of barrels and boxes in the corner.  
  
_I’ll take over..._  
  
Countess helped Joker up out of the broken boxes and chunks of wood, Mona was healing Skull while getting him out of the rubble.

The Eligor used a lunge attack, targeted at Countess, she had just barely pulled Joker unto his feet and turned around to see a mysterious force building up in front of her.  
Joker tackled her to the ground, he could hear the thump of the force hitting the wall behind him, some pieces of wood flew from the source of the sound. That hit would’ve killed her, without a doubt.  
The Eligor was preparing it’s next attack when it was hit right in the back of the helmet by an oversized boxing glove.  
It was basically knocked the fuck out, the team scrambled to their feet to surround it in a Hold Up. Mona was the first to get in position.  
  
HOLD UP  
  
Yet again they stylishly jumped the unfortunate enemy. Sounds of what could only be called unnecessary violence permeated the room, a red aura replacing the scenery, and the participants and the blood turning jet black. A light climaxed, a simple scene set for the spectators: a black floor, a small rotating chair you would see a cartoon villain scheme in, and the black enemy in the background.  
The monster cat fell down into the seat, back turned, craned over to the audience cigar in hand, and reclined in the chair, wicked smirk on it’s overtly exaggerated face.  
  
_To put you down..._  
  
“Cleanup complete.” The cat bragged, a collage of old thievery movie tapes featuring the cat took over the red sky, the stamp in the center of the spectacle with a caw paw upon it read: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.  
  
-  
  
Joker crawled to the treasure chest, he propped himself unto the frame which was somehow undamaged from the previous bloody carnage. He opened it and found nothing but a fancy silver dagger, something told him in his mind to switch out his “rebel’s knife” for the “silver dagger” so he obliged.  
  
“Damn. You okay, man?” Skull started conversation, that fight sucked.  
  
“I’ll live.” He gave a short answer, the thieves were still alive, and they weren’t going to sit around talking after the last time they did that they got ambushed.  
  
Except for how Ann was nowhere to be seen.  
  
But they didn’t seem to notice her absence, too caught up on adrenaline and finding a safe room. They all tunnel visioned that part of the plan.

Joker cracked open a door with his shoulder, it screamed in protest from the contact, but the sight just past the door made it all the worthwhile.  
  
There was a strange white ornate door that continually faded in and out of existence just a hop a skip and a jump away from Joker’s current location.  
  
“Is this it?!” Skull begged for relief from the physical exhaustion.  
  
Countess was trying to think. “I can’t help but feel like we’re forgetting something...”  
  
“We can worry about that once we’re somewhere safe.” Mona mandated, much more concerned with the team’s safety.  
  
Joker opened the door dramatically, and found a safe room, a wooden table in the center with chairs lined around its perimeter, a few bookshelves, and a white and gold sofa that seduced him to throw his aching carcass upon its heavenly embrace. He vaulted himself face first onto the article of furniture and blacked out in record time.

  
_End Chapter_

**Author's Note:**

> 2000+ view gang
> 
> VERY IMPORTANT NOTE HERE:  
THERE WILL BE PERSONA 5 ROYAL, PERSONA 5 THE ROYALE, PERSONA 5 ROYALE, AND/OR PERSONA 5 THE ROYAL SPOILERS FROM NOW ON IN THIS FIC, DO NOT CONTINUE READING THIS FIC IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED ON PERSONA 5 ROYAL. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
> 
> Just a few important notes:  
There is going to be a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate crossover in this fic, the game is exactly the same except that Joker and the Persona content is not in the game. The DLC is the same except for Joker not being in the fighters pass.  
So it's The Hero, Banjo & Kazooie, Terry Bogard, and whoever the last DLC fighter is.  
Joker will still be in the game (Smash Ultimate), but not in a way any of you readers will expect.
> 
> I don't know if the little crossover warrants putting Smash Bros. into the fandom tags, so if some people could comment their opinion, that would be great.
> 
> -
> 
> I'm part of a discord where I post my updates on this work and future works, my name on there is HulluMyJullu, the only owner of the Dr. Seuss role: a permanent link to JJUDOKA Clan:
> 
> https://discord.gg/Qc8aupJ 
> 
> Prepare for more crappy gags as the story goes on: Joker dancing to assert dominance, bald Akechi in the Kanda church, Yusuke posting weird ass essays on how the earth is actually a 3D dinosaur model in the group chat at 3am, Kasumi spooking Akira in Hawaii, Hifumi playing 8D chess while Joker is playing 1D checkers, Eggman being unable to be put back together again, Futaba helping the Phantom Thieves troll Akechi online, Arsene's tragic liver failure, strip poker with the Phantom Thieves, Joker being a dork, etc. Also I blue ballsed the title so hard lmao


End file.
